Gators Set to Hire Former Player as OL Coach, Per Report

Jon Sumrall is now building his assistant staff after finalizing the hirings of coordinators Brad White (defense) and Buster Faulkner (offense).

The Florida Gators are set to hire a former player as its offensive line coach. | Dan Rainville/USA Today Network - PA / USA TODAY NETWORK

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- After interviewing with the Florida Gators for an offensive coaching position, former player and two-time national champion Phil Trautwein is now set to return to the program he once played for.

Trautwein is set to be Florida's offensive line coach under new head coach Jon Sumrall, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported on Friday. Trautwein has spent the last six seasons at Penn State after a two-year stint at Boston College.

Phil Trautwein won two national titles with the Florida Gators. | Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

His time at both programs solidified himself as one of the nation's top offensive line coaches with three first-round picks in the NFL Draft (Olu Fashanu, 2024; Zion Johnson, 2022; Chris Lindstrom, 2019) and over 30 all-conference linemen in his career.

Prior to his coaching career, Trautwein spent five seasons (2004-08) playing for the Gators under head coaches Ron Zook and Urban Meyer, during which he won two national titles and two SEC titles and was a two-time All-SEC selection (2006, 2008).

Trautwein is the second non-coordinator hire after Florida reportedly retained defensive line coach Gerald Chatman and fourth coaching hire for Sumrall after defensive coordinator Brad White and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, who was officially announced on Wednesday.

Trautwein replaces the outgoing Rob Sale and Jonathan Decoster, who split coaching duties the last two seasons under former head coach Billy Napier.

Florida Gators Staff Changes Under Sumrall

The bulk of Florida's 2024 coaching staff will not be retained with Chatman being the lone retention so far.

Coaches who have either finalized or close to finalizing their next stops include backs coach Jabbar Juluke as a target by both Kentucky and Texas, linebackers coach Robert Bala as the defensive coordinator at James Madison, defensive coordinator Ron Roberts and corners coach Deron Wilson as the defensive coordinator and as the secondary coach at Arkansas and special teams coordinator Joe Houston at LSU.

Offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Russ Callaway is expected to be named the new offensive coordinator at Tulane.

Sale, Decoster and receivers coach Billy Gonzales have not had future plans reported outside of not being retained.

New UF head football coach Jon Sumrall has nearly cleaned house with his new coaching staff. | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Safeties coach Vinnie Sunseri, quarterbacks coach Ryan O'Hara, edge rushers coach Mike Peterson and strength and conditioning coordinator Tyler Myles have not had any future plans reported, but none are expected to be retained.

Meanwhile, Sumrall appears close to adding more to his staff alongside White, Chatman, Faulkner and Trautwein. The new UF head coach interviewed former Auburn offensive coordinator Derrick Nix this week across a multi-day visit in Gainesville.

Sumrall, Nix, White, Faulkner and other staffers were seen dining together at Spurrier's Gridiron Grille this week.

After being introduced as the next head coach last week, Sumrall said his staff would have a mix of existing staffers, staffers he worked with at prior stops and staffers he has never worked with before.

 "I don't hire a staff off of who are my buddies," he explained. "I hire a staff based upon what is the absolute best group of people we can put together to serve and develop our players and win championships at that place."

Florida Gators on SI is tracking all of Florida's staff changes under Sumrall here.