What surprises does Faulkner have up his sleeve in 2025?
Well, folks, here we are. Football season is upon us, and this is one of the most highly anticipated seasons Georgia Tech has had in years. Most of this is due to the optimism surrounding the offense, led by offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner. We have been extremely lucky that Faulkner has stayed with the Jackets, as he has proved to be an offensive mastermind who has raised the eyebrows of many other programs around the nation.
Let’s take a brief look at Buster Faulkner’s coaching history that has led him to where he is today.
Faulkner was a quarterback at Valdosta State University from 2000-03, and then played his final season at Texas A&M Commerce. He was a student assistant at Valdosta State in 2005 and then a graduate assistant at the University of Georgia in 2007. He returned to Valdosta State after that season with Georgia, followed by short stints at Central Arkansas and Murray State. He was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Middle Tennessee State from 2011 to 2015, and then went to Arkansas State from 2017 to 2018 as the offensive coordinator. He spent one year as Southern Miss’s OC, and then won two national championships at Georgia as a quality control analyst for the quarterback position. We all know where he is now, entering his third season as offensive coordinator for the Jackets.
Faulkner’s coaching resume includes back-to-back national titles with Georgia, where the offense ranked top five nationally in both scoring (41.3 ppg) and total offense (501.1 ypg). At Arkansas State, his teams led the Sun Belt in total offense and ranked top 20 nationally, averaging 494.8 ypg in 2017 and 466.2 ypg in 2018, including a conference title in 2016.
At Valdosta State, he led his alma mater to a Division II national championship. At Murray State, his offense topped the conference in scoring (42.2 ppg), passing (362.2 ypg), and total offense (486.3 ypg), all ranking top five nationally.
In total, Faulkner has earned three national championships, six conference titles, and four division crowns.
In other fun news, Buster and his son Harrison Faulkner became the state of Georgia’s first-ever father-son duo to win state titles at the quarterback position. Buster won at Parkview in 1997, and Harrison won at North Oconee in 2024.
Buster Faulkner is entering his third year as a Power Four offensive coordinator with the Jackets. When he was hired in 2023, many people were very skeptical because of his inexperience at this level. However, he has proved many wrong and has created a fun and dynamic offense on the Flats. At every other school he had been to before Tech, he ran an air-raid offense that was always recognized for its passing yards and total yards per game. Now, the Jackets are running reverses, screens, counters, trick plays, QB draws, and whatever else you can think of. He has implemented creative counter mesh concepts and uses Haynes King in the read option quite well. He utilized Eric Singleton’s speed in motion sweeps and flys, and thankfully, we have a stacked WR room that will continue this trend. Buster Faulkner has made this offense fun to watch, and he has successfully gone away from his bread and butter to do so. Run the dang ball he has, and run the dang ball he will. If you want to see a well-coached game by Faulkner, check out the 2024 Miami game. This will tell you all you need to know about him.
Take a look below at one of our most utilized play calls, the QB GY counter, where the quarterback keeps the ball and runs the opposite direction of an initial perceived run to create a gap.
Buster Faulkner and the Georgia Tech offense were our favorite off season study. I love this unbalanced look here covering up #2 to run QB GY Counter with Jet. Georgia Tech is a sleeper in the ACC this fall. #football #footballcoaching pic.twitter.com/qQnAdXqjN8
— The Blue and Gold Gridiron Show (@BGGridironShow) May 20, 2025
Looking forward to 2025, I am more excited about this offense now than I have ever been before. With the loss of receiver Eric Singleton to the portal, Brent Key went eye-for-eye (or some might say Eric for Eric) and picked up FIU WR Eric Rivers, one of the nation’s top receivers last season. Malik Rutherford also returns after a quick second in the portal, and he adds an explosive element to this WR room. I think we see very little loss at the WR position due to the return of Rutherford and the addition of Rivers, Patterson, Smith, and some talented youngsters. In the backfield, Jamal Haynes returns at RB, along with portal addition Malachi Hosley from UPenn. Haynes can also be used to catch the ball, and we will see if Hosley could pose a threat there as well.
I want to note this wide receiver position specifically because in a spring press conference, Faulkner said he wants to “see the passing game take off,” especially with guys like veteran QB Haynes King and the new and returning receivers. I do not foresee Faulkner swaying from the playbook of last season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we have an even more explosive offense in the air to round everything out and take it to the next level. This spread option offense he has implemented has been very successful, but I know fans are all on the edge of their seats wanting to see just how creative he can get.
ESPN recently named him as one of college football’s next “big-time coaches,” stating that “His innovative system, especially with the run scheme, has helped Georgia Tech to several marquee wins under head coach Brent Key.”
Buster Faulkner, you, sir, have the potential to make opposing defenses cry this season. I really think if things click, we can take this team to the next level and create a highlight reel of an offense. Maybe not Tavon Austin level, but we can try. Faulkner is a successful coach who has remained loyal to this program thus far, and I have a feeling we will see big things from him in 2025.
Go Jackets.