Florida fends off Texas to keep Jadan Baugh: Star running back announces return to Gators after portal rumors
Many expected Baugh to follow running backs coach Jabbar Juluke to Texas, but he's staying in Gainesville with Jon Sumrall
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Jadan Baugh will return to the Florida Gators for the 2026 season. The star running back announced his decision to run it back in Gainesville on Instagram on Tuesday.
That came after ample speculation he could follow former Florida running backs coach Jabbar Juluke to Texas. The Longhorns have a need for a new starting running back after the departure of Tre Wisner (and others) from Austin. The Gators put up a strong push to retain Baugh, as keeping the SEC's third-leading rusher from 2025 in Gainesville became a top priority for Jon Sumrall and the new Florida staff.
As reported by CBS Sports' Richard Johnson, the expectation was that Baugh would command more than $1 million on the transfer portal market as part of the surge in price for star backs this season. The question was less whether Florida would be willing to spend on Baugh, but more if Baugh would view the Gators under Sumrall as the best opportunity for him. Texas figured to offer a starting spot, a familiar face in Juluke and the opportunity for ample attention in the backfield alongside quarterback Arch Manning.
However, Baugh opted to stick around in Florida as the Gators seem to have met his asking price and answered any questions he might've had about how the offense will operate in 2026.
With former Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner making the move to Gainesville -- and bringing quarterback Aaron Philo with him -- the expectation is the Gators will lean on the ground game in 2026 similarly to the Yellow Jackets in 2025. Faulkner was surely part of the sales pitch to Baugh, and he bought in on that vision.
Baugh rushed for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns on 220 carries this season, with his 266 yards against Florida State in the Gators' season finale serving as an exclamation point on his year. Now he'll be back for his junior campaign in Gainesville in a big victory for Sumrall in retaining a top talent, fending off the Longhorns and others hoping to poach the star back and further weaken the Gators' roster.
