Florida football RB Jadan Baugh discusses decision to return, becoming a leader
It took a Christmas Eve meeting and a weighty Name, Image and Likeness deal from Florida Victorius for Florida football running back Jadan Baugh to return to UF for his junior season.
Retaining Baugh was one of the first priorities for new Florida Gators football coach Jon Sumrall. That's why Sumrall chose not to cancel the Christmas Eve meeting in Atlanta with Baugh after Sumrall's father, George Sumrall, passed away less than a week earlier on December 18, 2025, following a lengthy illness.
"For him to bring his family to come see me and to say that his dad wanted to be here, that means the most to me," Baugh said. "Because that shows that you really, really care about your job. You really, really care about what's going on with your players that you want."
After a breakout sophomore season, Baugh is looking to take on a role as both a leader and one of the focal points of UF's offense in Sumrall's first season.
"That's one of the biggest challenges that I had overcome, is being a leader, being more vocal, saying the things that a lot of guys don't want to hear," Baugh said. "I feel like that's always gonna get us over the hump, and that's what helped me get over the hump."
Sumrall said he's challenged Baugh to set an example this spring with his work habits and attention to detail.
"I'm challenging him not to be decent at what he does, but to be elite at what he does," Sumrall said. "He'll tell you, I called him out in a meeting a month ago in front of the entire team about, ‘Hey man, I think you had a chance to be a pro in everything we do, with how we do everything.’ One thing I love about Jadan is he's very coachable."
Why Florida football RB Jadan Baugh is a 'low maintenance' star
Baugh ranked third in the SEC in rushing yards in 2025, rushing for 1,170 yards on 220 carries with 8 TDs while adding 210 yards receiving and 2 receiving TDs. He became UF's first 1,000-yard rusher since Kelvin Taylor in 2015 after a 38-carry, 266-yard performance to close the season against rival FSU. It had the second-highest yardage total in a game for a Florida running back in school history, behind only Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, who rushed for 316 yards against New Mexico in 1987.
"That was like one of the most memorable moments I can have because my mom and my dad were there, they were crying," Baugh said, "We talked about it for so long, like when I was younger, of what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be, and for me seeing them cry over something that I did, it gave me a sense of warming.”
But you won't find Baugh on his cell phone often, basking in his accomplishments. In fact, Baugh rarely keeps his phone on him.
"It's more of me just focusing on myself and getting better every day," Baugh said. "I tell the guys in my room every day, improvement is our best friend. So I feel if I could improve every day, that is something that is a distraction to me - my phone - I keep that away from myself."
Said Sumrall: "He's really a low-maintenance, high-production player. He doesn't really seek a whole lot of extra attention. If you text Jadan Baugh, don't expect like a text 30 seconds later, just not like that. He's not like one of these attached to his phone guys, which is rare in this day and age, but he is a ridiculously talented athlete and player."
How can Jadan Baugh fit in new Florida football OC Buster Faulkner's offense
Baugh also proved tremendously durable and took on more of a workload in the run game in 2025 when fellow running back Ja'Kobi Jackson went down with a season-ending leg injury in late September. The 6-foot-1 Baugh remains one of the strongest players on UF's roster, but slimmed down from 231 to 225 pounds this spring in an effort to boost his speed.
With redshirt freshman running back Duke Clark emerging this spring and transfer running backs Evan Pryor (Cincinnati) and London Montgomery (East Carolina) added to the roster, Baugh said he'd welcome a lighter workload in 2026.
"Team success is everything to me," Baugh said. "So, if those guys come in and it's their time to shine, I have no problem with that."
Baugh said he's excited about the potential of the offense under new offensive coordinator Buster Faulker, who recruited him when he worked at Georgia Tech. Faulkner's offense is designed to get the ball in the hands of playmakers and he's already experimented with using Baugh in some direct-snap, Wildcat formations.
"Having him here, it’s meant to be, basically," Baugh said. "Just having him around, understanding what I can do – I feel like he knows me a lot – him putting me in position to get the ball in my hands, I feel like that is perfect.”
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Why Florida football RB Jadan Baugh chose to play under new coach Jon Sumrall
