Gainesville, Florida — John Sumrall makes his first official appointment FloridaFootball coach on Thursday, bringing on board kentuckyBrad White as defensive coordinator.
White, 43, spent the past eight years in Lexington, including seven of them in charge of the Wildcats’ defense. Sumrall and White overlapped on that side of the ball between 2019 and 2021, including working together in their final year as co-DC. Sumrall left Kentucky to become troyBecame coach in 2022 and spent the last two years here tulane,
Under White’s direction, Kentucky fielded defenses that were ranked in the top 25 nationally in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. The edge rusher led his unit to rank sixth nationally in 2018. Josh Hines-AllenHines-Allen recorded 17 sacks and five forced fumbles as a redshirt junior,
He became the seventh pick by Jacksonville in the 2019 NFL Draft and now owns the franchise sacks record with 59 and counting.
“First of all, they’re getting a great guy, a great communicator, a guy who wants the best for his players,” Hines-Allen said. “He was my positional coach when I had him and the time we spent together helped me develop and get to where I am today. I give him a lot of credit and a lot of respect and love.”
“He’s done a lot of good things for that program. Hopefully he continues to have that success at Florida.”
current jaguar Coach Liam Coen, who was Kentucky’s offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2023, faces White’s defense on a daily basis and calls him “one of the smartest guys I’ve been around at any level.”
“A true teacher of the game,” Coen said. “I learned a lot from Brad in terms of the way he saw the game. He’s one of the more detailed, organized coaches I’ve been with in terms of his process throughout the week, his checklists throughout the week and then his game plans to be able to create problems for guys.
“In practice it gave me problems every day. It’s many. He knows how to scheme people.”
Sumrall is expected to install a 3-4 defensive scheme at Florida with an emphasis on linebacker play that will increase the talent and depth of a position group that will include standouts. miles graham, jaden robinson And aaron chiles,
Sumrall’s more significant workload will come on the other side of the ball, where georgia techBuster Faulkner is one of a few candidates to become Florida’s offensive coordinator.
“I may be a defensive guy, but I want to be more of a defensive guy, like Bob Stoops,” Sumrall said. “I want the scoreboard to light up.”
