According to FootballScoop .com, Southern Miss head coach Jay Hopson has found an offensive coordinator. Buster Faulkner, who has spent the last three years at Arkansas State, will take on the role in Hattiesburg.
Faulkner is Hopson’s second offensive coordinator, as he enters his fourth season at Southern Miss. Shannon Dawson, who’s now at the University of Houston under, spent three seasons under Hopson as the offensive coordinator.
The Lilburn, Georgia, native has made stops at Murray State and Middle Tennessee State before his stint at Arkansas State. He served as offensive coordinator at both Murray State and Middle Tennessee, and he was the quarterbacks coach at Central Arkansas University prior to those gigs.
While in Jonesboro, he had multiple players receive all-conference honors, including the 2017 Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Justice Hansen.
In 2016, the Red Wolves amassed 4,932 yards of total offense, then ranked No. 10 in the country in 2017 by averaging 494.8 yards per game. In 2018, Arkansas State averaged 467.5 yards of total offense, including 186 rushing yards per game.
Arkansas State was 23-15 overall the three seasons Faulkner was the offensive coordinator. He also coached tight ends at Arkansas State.
Faulkner was fired from Arkansas State shortly after the 16-13 overtime loss to Nevada in the Arizona Bowl on Dec. 29.
