This Florida Gators has opened up on why he decided to stay after rumors he would bolt via the transfer portal.
The Florida Gators were certainly in upheaval last season, as they fired Billy Napier midway through the season and ended up going just 4-8.
Florida then hired Jon Sumrall to be its next head coach in late November, and while the reaction was generally positive, it didn't stop players from exiting Gainesville in droves.
It wasn't surprising, considering regime changes generally always lead to a mass exodus, but Sumrall was able to convince some of his top talents to stay.
Among the was running back Jadan Baugh, who weighed the possibility of entering the transfer portal, but decided to remain with the Gators.
"For me, it's more just knowing where home was," Baugh said. "And that's what I definitely did in my thinking process. I was like, I knew where home is. I knew where I wanted to be. So, Florida is definitely the place."
Lucky Florida.
Baugh racked up 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry last season. He also caught 33 passes for 210 yards and a couple of scores.
Florida Gators running back Jadan Baugh. Credit: Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.His highlight of the year, though, was when he punctured Florida State's defense for 266 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the season finale.
How much better can Baugh get in 2026?
Well, the Atlanta native is clearly having a great time getting to know Sumrall, and it appears the new coach could end up getting the most out of the star halfback.
"On the field, Coach Sumrall is 24/7 on our heads," Baugh said. "Being around Coach Sumrall in these few months that we have been around each other, he's made me better and better. Even just the team, he's made us better."
Baugh arrived at Florida in 2024 and immediately made an impact, rushing for 673 yards and seven scores on 5.1 yards per attempt.
During his sophomore campaign, Baugh took a significant step toward establishing himself as one of the best running backs in the country, and now, entering 2026, he has put himself on the map as a serious NFL Draft prospect.
We'll see if Baugh can further build upon his tremendous 2025 showing and help the Gators re-establish themselves as a force in the SEC.
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