The Florida Gators are hiring Tulane’s Rusty Whitt as their strength and conditioning coach, according to multiple sources.
Whitt spent the last two seasons as Tulane’s director, strength and conditioning coach under Jon Sumrall. In 2020, Whitt joined Troy’s staff as the head strength and conditioning coach where he was later retained by Sumrall for the 2022-23 seasons.
The 54-year-old has also made stops at Texas Tech, Louisiana – Lafayette, Sam Houston State, and Rice in similar roles. Whitt served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for William & Mary, Louisville, and Army.
Whitt worked with both Midwestern State and Texas as a graduate assistant from 1995-97.
Before joining strength and conditioning staffs professionally, Whitt coordinated speed and agility training for the 1997 men’s and women’s USA Volleyball Team. He also assisted in program development for all sports including USA Basketball and Wrestling.
Whitt earned his bachelor’s degree in police science and administration from Abilene Christian University in 1994 and his master’s degree in kinesiology from Texas in 1997. He played college football as a safety at Abilene Christian from 1990-94.
Before joining Rice’s staff in 2009, Whitt served in the United States Army as a Senior Special Forces Communication Sergeant in the 10th Special Forces Group. Whitt was a member of the U.S. Army from August 2003 through January 2009 where he was deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) V and VI. Whitt earned a combat infantry badge in 2007, two Iraqi campaign medals and an Army commendation medal with valor.
In an interview at Tulane in 2024, head coach Jon Sumrall had this to say on Whitt:
“Whitt’s as good as I’ve ever been around. He’s a freaking stud.”
COACHING CAREER
1995-96: Midwestern State – Graduate Assistant
1996-97: Texas – Graduate Assistant
1997: U.S. Olympic Training Center – Speed and Agility Coordinator
1997-98: William & Mary – Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
1998: Louisville – Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
1998-2003: Sam Houston State – Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
2009-10: Rice – Assistant Coordinator, Strength and Conditioning Coach
2010-15: Louisiana – Lafayette – Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
2016-18: Texas Tech – Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
2019: Army – Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
2020-23: Troy – Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
2024-25: Tulane – Director, Strength and Conditioning Coach