Georgia Tech has agreed to a new two-year deal with offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, sources told ESPN, which will put him near the top of the ACC in assistant coach pay and among the country's top 10 highest-paid offensive coordinators.
Faulkner has agreed to a two-year deal at $1.5 million per season, per sources, the largest salary for an assistant coach in Georgia Tech history. New defensive coordinator Blake Gideon will make $1 million this season, marking the first time both coordinators will earn seven-figure salaries in program history.
The contract is indicative of a continued investment in football at Georgia Tech, as Brent Key enters his third season as full-time head coach. That tenure has coincided with a significant uptick in spending on staffing, a commitment that shows the program alignment all the way up to the office of school president Ángel Cabrera.
Tech has gone 7-6 in each of the past two years, the first back-to-back bowl seasons at the school since 2014.
Faulkner's hire as offensive coordinator has revved up the Yellow Jacket offense after taking over a unit ranked No. 124 in scoring offense during the 2022 season. The Yellow Jackets' scoring improved in 2023 by nearly two touchdowns per game while leaping to No. 42 nationally in scoring offense. Tech has been ranked in the top 2 in rushing offense in the ACC in each of the past two years.
Tech's offensive outlook is promising for 2025, as they return quarterback Haynes King, who broke the ACC record for completion percentage in 2024 at 72.9%. King threw for 2,114 yards, 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions last year. Star tailback Jamal Haynes also returns after rushing for 2,003 yards and 16 touchdowns over the past two years.
Faulkner has fostered a reputation as a top playcaller, and there was a strong market for his services last season. Tech notched two wins against top-10 programs last season, beating No. 10 Florida State in Dublin and No. 4 Miami later in the year. They famously took No. 6 Georgia to the brink before losing an eight-overtime thriller. In 2023, Tech had top-20 wins over Miami and North Carolina.
Faulkner is a veteran coach who has coordinator stops at Valdosta State, Murray State, Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State and Southern Miss. He worked as a quality control coach at Georgia prior to taking the job at Tech.
Faulkner's son, Harrison, is a quarterback recruit in the class of 2026 and is verbally committed to Georgia Southern. He was the Georgia 4A State Offensive Player of the Year in 2024 after leading North Oconee to the state championship.