New Florida head coach Jon Sumrall has identified the leader of his defensive staff. On Thursday the Gators announced the hiring of Kentucky‘s Brad White as the program’s next defensive coordinator.
White was the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator the last 7 seasons. With White at the helm, Kentucky has amassed 14 NFL Draft picks, with 6 selections in the top 2 rounds.
Here’s the official announcement from Florida:
🐊
Brad White → Defensive Coordinator
🔗 https://t.co/ukfnuSwBvJ#GoGators pic.twitter.com/9Z3RAXF9hm
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 4, 2025
“Extremely thankful to Coach Sumrall for this exciting opportunity” White said. “I’m ready to hit the ground running on helping construct a defense that will make Gator Nation proud. Coach has already stated the vision – be the most feared defense in college football.”
This season, Florida’s defense allowed 24.0 points per game, which ranks 64th nationally. In order to improve on this 4-8 mark, defense will be key.
White is placing an emphasis on player development and establishing strong habits.
“Now comes the hard work necessary to make that vision a reality,” White said. “And while scheme has its importance, the most critical focus we’ll have as a defensive staff will be to develop the highly-talented playmakers we recruit and demand that they play with a pace and violence second to none.”
