How Jon Sumrall convinced Florida football RB Jadan Baugh to return
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When Florida football coach Jon Sumrall traveled to Atlanta to meet with standout running back Jadan Baugh and his family on Christmas Eve, he didn’t know what to expect.
Sumrall understood retaining the 6-foot-1, 231-pound Baugh was a high priority at the start of his tenure. Losing starting Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway earlier in December was a blow, but Baugh was the engine that made UF’s offense run in 2025, with 1,170 yards rushing and a combined 10 TDs (8 rushing, 2 receiving).
In the spirit of the holidays, Sumrall turned the event into a family affair.
“We had my wife, my kids, my mom, my mom’s dog was with us,” Sumrall said. “We took the whole family, spent about an hour-and-a-half there. Great family, man. His parents, Corey and Whitney, they were pivotal.”
A hefty paycheck with help from Florida Victorious helped seal Baugh’s return, as he’s reportedly set to make between $1.2-1.3 million next season. But Sumrall’s visit to Baugh’s house showed a commitment as he shared his vision of Baugh’s role in the offense.
Baugh will enter the 2026 season as one of the top running backs in the SEC, along with Ahmad Harvey of Missouri and Kewan Lacy of Ole Miss. Sumrall said he was able to learn more about his star running back from the in-home visit.
“Jadan’s a great kid, really, really kind of a no-nonsense, low-maintenance kind of guy,” Sumrall said. “Sometimes that kind of personality, when you go to that process can be confusing, because you’re like, alright, what’s the contact look like? He doesn’t love to talk on the phone or text. He just likes to play football.”
Baugh was one of the key players that Sumrall and general manager Dave Caldwell targeted to retain from the 2025 roster, a list that includes wide receiver Vernell Brown III, linebacker Myles Graham, wide receiver Dallas Wilson and edge rusher Jayden Woods.
“Keeping the Jaden Baughs and the Jayden Woods makes coaching a lot easier,” Sumrall said. “Those guys are not just really good football players, but they’re the kind of guys you want to build the culture around, because of how they carry themselves.”
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football coach Jon Sumrall discusses retaining RB Jadan Baugh
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