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Buster Faulkner was the first splash hire that John Sumrall made when he took over as Florida football coach.
For months, curiosity has centered on how Faulkner's intricate, successful offense during his time at Georgia Tech would translate in his new role as offensive coordinator of the Florida Gators.
Florida fans will get their first glimpse of Faulkner's offense in UF's Orange and Blue Spring Game on Saturday, April 11 at The Swamp (noon kickoff). How much Florida chooses to show offensively remains to be seen, though with the game not being televised, UF may choose to display some different wrinkles.
"You always want to run the same plays but present it in different pictures," Florida quarterbacks coach Joe Craddock said. "I think that's the best way to describe it. We're running the same plays, but we're getting to them in different ways that creates a problem for the defense.
"If you watch Buster's past at Georgia Tech, there's been a lot of shifts and motions and what you don't see a lot of is people blitzing them, you know? And that's pretty — because you can't line up."
Faulkner's offense at Georgia Tech ranked 11th-nationally and second in the ACC at 460.0 yards per game. He comes from the Valdosta (Ga.) State lineage of innovative offensive minds that includes Hal Mumme and the late Mike Leach.
"It's a lot of moving pieces," said Florida junior wide receiver Micah Mays Jr. "It's really explosive, too. So, it really just gives a lot more versatility for the offense, and we can line up inside, outside, like, just a lot of moving pieces and so it just kind of spreads the defense around and kind of makes them communicate more.”
Mumme and Leach were both proponents of the Air Raid, a pass-first, high-tempo offense that spreads opposing defenses out with four wide receiver sets.
Faulkner's offense has some Air Raid elements, though he's also shown an ability to adapt to his personnel. Florida's top returning offensive player is junior running back Jadan Baugh, who rushed for 1,170 yards and scored a combined 10 TDs (eight rushing, two receiving) for UF last season. Georgia Tech ranked second in the SEC and 21st nationally in rushing offense last season at 197.5 yards per game.
Florida running backs coach Chris Foster said Faulkner has been adept with how he's deployed the running backs this spring.
"They line up everywhere and when they line up everywhere you don’t know what they’re gonna do," Foster said. "So I just think he does a good job of putting them in positions to be successful."
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Baugh has lined up at the Wildcat in some formations. Two years ago, when Faulker coached UF wide receiver Eric Singleton at Georgia Tech, he utilized him on run plays on jet sweeps.
"He knows how to use me, especially with the two years that I have under his wing at Georgia Tech," Singleton said, "He knows what I am good at, what are some of my weaknesses. So, just showcasing that on the field.”
Quarterbacks Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. will get the first cracks at running Faulkner's scheme during the spring. Philo brings more familiarity to the offense having played under Faulkner for two years at Georgia Tech before transferring to UF.
"He wants to win like we all do, and you have to have that in today's college football," Philo said. "You have to have the fire and the passion. We want to win. And you know, he gets the ball in playmaker's hands, and this offense is extremely explosive when the chains are moving and things are going the right way.”
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Can new-look offense create buzz during Florida football spring game?
Continue reading...
For months, curiosity has centered on how Faulkner's intricate, successful offense during his time at Georgia Tech would translate in his new role as offensive coordinator of the Florida Gators.
Florida fans will get their first glimpse of Faulkner's offense in UF's Orange and Blue Spring Game on Saturday, April 11 at The Swamp (noon kickoff). How much Florida chooses to show offensively remains to be seen, though with the game not being televised, UF may choose to display some different wrinkles.
"You always want to run the same plays but present it in different pictures," Florida quarterbacks coach Joe Craddock said. "I think that's the best way to describe it. We're running the same plays, but we're getting to them in different ways that creates a problem for the defense.
"If you watch Buster's past at Georgia Tech, there's been a lot of shifts and motions and what you don't see a lot of is people blitzing them, you know? And that's pretty — because you can't line up."
Faulkner's offense at Georgia Tech ranked 11th-nationally and second in the ACC at 460.0 yards per game. He comes from the Valdosta (Ga.) State lineage of innovative offensive minds that includes Hal Mumme and the late Mike Leach.
"It's a lot of moving pieces," said Florida junior wide receiver Micah Mays Jr. "It's really explosive, too. So, it really just gives a lot more versatility for the offense, and we can line up inside, outside, like, just a lot of moving pieces and so it just kind of spreads the defense around and kind of makes them communicate more.”
How balanced will Florida football offense look under new OC Buster Faulkner
Mumme and Leach were both proponents of the Air Raid, a pass-first, high-tempo offense that spreads opposing defenses out with four wide receiver sets.
Faulkner's offense has some Air Raid elements, though he's also shown an ability to adapt to his personnel. Florida's top returning offensive player is junior running back Jadan Baugh, who rushed for 1,170 yards and scored a combined 10 TDs (eight rushing, two receiving) for UF last season. Georgia Tech ranked second in the SEC and 21st nationally in rushing offense last season at 197.5 yards per game.
Florida running backs coach Chris Foster said Faulkner has been adept with how he's deployed the running backs this spring.
"They line up everywhere and when they line up everywhere you don’t know what they’re gonna do," Foster said. "So I just think he does a good job of putting them in positions to be successful."
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Baugh has lined up at the Wildcat in some formations. Two years ago, when Faulker coached UF wide receiver Eric Singleton at Georgia Tech, he utilized him on run plays on jet sweeps.
"He knows how to use me, especially with the two years that I have under his wing at Georgia Tech," Singleton said, "He knows what I am good at, what are some of my weaknesses. So, just showcasing that on the field.”
Quarterbacks Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. will get the first cracks at running Faulkner's scheme during the spring. Philo brings more familiarity to the offense having played under Faulkner for two years at Georgia Tech before transferring to UF.
"He wants to win like we all do, and you have to have that in today's college football," Philo said. "You have to have the fire and the passion. We want to win. And you know, he gets the ball in playmaker's hands, and this offense is extremely explosive when the chains are moving and things are going the right way.”
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Can new-look offense create buzz during Florida football spring game?
Continue reading...
