Rusty Whitt Named Director of Football Performance for Florida
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 | Football
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – University of Florida head football coach Jon Sumrall announced the hiring of Rusty Whitt as the program's director of football performance on Tuesday. Whitt brings not only an impressive strength and conditioning coaching background of 30 years to the Gators, but also a distinguished military career.
Whitt comes to Gainesville from Tulane, where he served as the director of strength and conditioning for two seasons. During his tenure, the Green Wave won the 2025 American Athletic Conference Championship game, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff. In his two seasons at Tulane, the team posted a record of 20-7 and played in two AAC title games.
"There's no better person to lead our strength and conditioning program than Coach Whitt," Sumrall said. "His experience in coaching, as well as his decorated history in our military has proven results for the teams he's worked for in the past. His approach will reinforce the core values of our program. I can't wait to see what he will be able to do with our athletes here at Florida."
Prior to Tulane, Whitt was the head strength & conditioning coach at Troy from 2020-23. In 2022 and 2023, the Trojans won back-to-back Sun Belt Conference championships, posting a combined record of 23-5. In 2022, the Trojans finished the season ranked in a major poll for the first time in program history, checking in at No. 19 in the AP Top 25 and No. 20 in the USA Today/Coaches Poll. Additionally, Troy's appearance in the Coaches Poll and College Football Playoff Poll after its Sun Belt Championship Game victory were also firsts for the program.
"Being named the Director of Football Performance for the Florida Gators football team is both thrilling and humbling, and an immense honor," Whitt said. "I understand the extremely intense environment we are stepping in to. Gator Nation expects and demands excellence. I will bring a world-class performance staff that will embrace the pressure at Florida and we will soon get to work on developing and sustaining SEC Championship-level athletes. Go Gators!"
Whitt spent the 2019 season as the assistant football strength and conditioning coach at Army following three seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Texas Tech football program from 2016-18.
At Tech, Whitt oversaw a staff of three full-time assistants as well as a graduate assistant. Whitt's staff also worked closely with the Texas Tech athletic training and nutrition programs.
In addition to his expertise in the weight room, Whitt comes to Troy following a decorated career as a Special Forces Sergeant in the United States Army. He served as a Senior Special Forces Communication Sergeant in the 10th Special Forces Group and was a member of the U.S. Army from August 2003 to January 2009 where he was deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) V and VI.
Whitt developed and initiated a comprehensive pre-deployment conditioning program for his Special Forces Team prior to and during OIF V and VI. He received a combat infantry badge, two Iraqi campaign medals and an Army commendation medal with valor.
Prior to his arrival at Texas Tech, Whitt spent six seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach at Louisiana. The Ragin' Cajuns won the 2013 Sun Belt Conference title and four-straight New Orleans Bowls during his tenure.
Whitt was hired at Louisiana following a year-long stint as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Rice where he designed and implemented year-round strength, speed, mobility, cardiovascular conditioning and injury rehabilitation programs for football, baseball and swimming, as well as track and field.
Prior to joining the US Army, Whitt was the head strength and conditioning coach at Sam Houston State where he served as an instructor in the kinesiology department and assisted in the design of a new weight facility. He started his tenure at Sam Houston State in December 1998.
From 1997-98, Whitt was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at William & Mary. Whitt began his strength and conditioning career with graduate assistantships at Midwestern State and Texas. He also performed an internship in the strength and conditioning department at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
Whitt earned his bachelor's degree in police science and administration from Abilene Christian in 1994 and his master's degree in kinesiology from Texas in 1997. He was a four-year letterman and three-year starter in football at Abilene Christian and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Whitt comes to Gainesville from Tulane, where he served as the director of strength and conditioning for two seasons. During his tenure, the Green Wave won the 2025 American Athletic Conference Championship game, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff. In his two seasons at Tulane, the team posted a record of 20-7 and played in two AAC title games.
"There's no better person to lead our strength and conditioning program than Coach Whitt," Sumrall said. "His experience in coaching, as well as his decorated history in our military has proven results for the teams he's worked for in the past. His approach will reinforce the core values of our program. I can't wait to see what he will be able to do with our athletes here at Florida."
Prior to Tulane, Whitt was the head strength & conditioning coach at Troy from 2020-23. In 2022 and 2023, the Trojans won back-to-back Sun Belt Conference championships, posting a combined record of 23-5. In 2022, the Trojans finished the season ranked in a major poll for the first time in program history, checking in at No. 19 in the AP Top 25 and No. 20 in the USA Today/Coaches Poll. Additionally, Troy's appearance in the Coaches Poll and College Football Playoff Poll after its Sun Belt Championship Game victory were also firsts for the program.
"Being named the Director of Football Performance for the Florida Gators football team is both thrilling and humbling, and an immense honor," Whitt said. "I understand the extremely intense environment we are stepping in to. Gator Nation expects and demands excellence. I will bring a world-class performance staff that will embrace the pressure at Florida and we will soon get to work on developing and sustaining SEC Championship-level athletes. Go Gators!"
Whitt spent the 2019 season as the assistant football strength and conditioning coach at Army following three seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Texas Tech football program from 2016-18.
At Tech, Whitt oversaw a staff of three full-time assistants as well as a graduate assistant. Whitt's staff also worked closely with the Texas Tech athletic training and nutrition programs.
In addition to his expertise in the weight room, Whitt comes to Troy following a decorated career as a Special Forces Sergeant in the United States Army. He served as a Senior Special Forces Communication Sergeant in the 10th Special Forces Group and was a member of the U.S. Army from August 2003 to January 2009 where he was deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) V and VI.
Whitt developed and initiated a comprehensive pre-deployment conditioning program for his Special Forces Team prior to and during OIF V and VI. He received a combat infantry badge, two Iraqi campaign medals and an Army commendation medal with valor.
Prior to his arrival at Texas Tech, Whitt spent six seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach at Louisiana. The Ragin' Cajuns won the 2013 Sun Belt Conference title and four-straight New Orleans Bowls during his tenure.
Whitt was hired at Louisiana following a year-long stint as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Rice where he designed and implemented year-round strength, speed, mobility, cardiovascular conditioning and injury rehabilitation programs for football, baseball and swimming, as well as track and field.
Prior to joining the US Army, Whitt was the head strength and conditioning coach at Sam Houston State where he served as an instructor in the kinesiology department and assisted in the design of a new weight facility. He started his tenure at Sam Houston State in December 1998.
From 1997-98, Whitt was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at William & Mary. Whitt began his strength and conditioning career with graduate assistantships at Midwestern State and Texas. He also performed an internship in the strength and conditioning department at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
Whitt earned his bachelor's degree in police science and administration from Abilene Christian in 1994 and his master's degree in kinesiology from Texas in 1997. He was a four-year letterman and three-year starter in football at Abilene Christian and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
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