ATHENS — Georgia football has hired Buster Faulkner to work with its quarterbacks on its offensive staff, DawgNation has learned.
Faulkner is listed on the UGA football coaching staff directory as “offensive quality control coach.”
Faulkner was the former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Southern Miss last season. Prior to that, Faulkner spent three seasons as the Arkansas State offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.
Buster Faulkner, Photo courtesy Southern Miss
The University of Georgia has yet to issue a press release on Faulkner’s addition. This is Faulkner’s second go-round in Athens. He served as an offensive graduate assistant in 2006, working under former coach Mark Richt.
Coach Kirby Smart, who just wrapped up his fourth season with a 12-2 mark and No. 4 national rank, hired former NFL offensive coordinator Todd Monken to become the team’s offensive coordinator last week.
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James Coley, who held offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coaching duties last season, was named assistant head coach at the time of Monken’s hire. Coley worked with the UGA receivers his first two season’s on Smart’s staff.
Faulkner’s work building the Red Wolves’ offense at Arkansas State was impressive. By the end of his third and final season in Jonesboro, Faulkner’s offense ranked 17th in the nation (466.2) and 21st in passing offense.
Justin Hansen, Faulkner’s quarterback at Arkansas State, won Sun Belt Player of the Year in consecutive seasons.
Faulkner was at Middle Tennessee prior to Arkansas State, serving as the Blue Raiders offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach his final four seasons in Murfreesboro (2012-15).
The Blue Raiders set a single season with 5,946 yards and 442 points in Faulkner’s final season at Middle Tennessee, and that was with a freshman quarterback.
The Bulldogs, of course, will have a new quarterback under center with three-year starter Jake Fromm declaring himself eligible for the 2020 NFL Draft.
Wake Forest graduate transfer quarterback Jamie Newman is on the team along with redshirt junior Stetson Bennett, redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis and early enrollee Carson Beck.
Faulkner is from Lilburn, Ga., and led Parkview High School to the 1997 Georgia state championship before going on to play quarterback at Valdosta State from 2000-2003.
UGA coach Kirby Smart was on the Valdosta State staff in 2000 and 2001, as the secondary coach (2000) and then defensive coordinator (2001).
Faulkner passed for 7,100 yards and 64 touchdowns while registering a 47-6 record with the Blazers. His senior season he transferred to Texas A&M Commerce, where he passed for 2,861 and 16 touchdowns, setting 10 school records.
Jeff Sentell contributed to this report. More details as they emerge.
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