Jadan Baugh, although he never officially entered the transfer portal, faced a difficult decision this offseason. He could either stay and play for a new head coach taking over a 4-8 team or leave the program ahead of what is likely his final season of eligibility.
The junior running back ultimately chose to stay because of his love for the Gators and the immediate connection he formed with Florida’s new coaching staff.
“Being a Gator is everything to me and being able to just play for the fans that support us when we’re down, up, regardless. They came around and embraced me with open arms just to keep going,” Baugh said at SEC Media Days.
“But with the coaching staff, they came in with the fire in their eyes. And I told everybody that. When the coaching staff come in with a fire in their eye and they’re ready to just go, I’m ready to play right then and there.”
Responding to adversity has been one of Jon Sumrall’s biggest points of emphasis since arriving in Gainesville. With more than 50 new players on the roster, Sumrall has worked to instill a mindset of embracing challenges rather than avoiding them, a message that has resonated throughout the locker room.
“The fire has spread throughout the team,” Baugh said. “The main messages that I got from just the staff in general, even Coach Sumrall, is when things are going bad, we all say good. When we’re facing adversity, we all say good, just because that’s what builds character.”
Baugh has experienced his share of adversity during his time at Florida, with the Gators posting a 12-13 record, including a 6-10 mark in SEC play, over the past two seasons. Despite those struggles, the Atlanta native believes the program is headed in the right direction. He has noticed a shift in the team’s culture and a stronger commitment to the process, giving him confidence that better days are ahead.
“We always had the pieces. It was just more of the inside stuff with the team as to buying into the process, understanding the process a lot more just to keep going,” Baugh said. “And I feel like this year we have a lot of guys who want to and a lot of guys who is willing to sacrifice anything for the team.”
“There’s been times when Coach had to tell us to stop and chill out just because we were putting so much on our bodies,” Baugh added. “I feel like it’s going to be very exciting this year.”
Florida is wrapping up summer workouts and OTAs and is set to begin fall camp on Aug. 5.