Florida may be ready to get creative with Jadan Baugh this fall, and that could mean more than just handing him the ball out of the backfield.
With Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo and freshman Tramell Jones Jr. locked in a quarterback battle, the Gators are still waiting on new head coach Jon Sumrall to make a final call. Sumrall said he does not know when that decision will come, but he believes both quarterbacks can be starters for the offense.
However the job shakes out, Florida is planning to lean on Baugh, especially early in the season while an inexperienced quarterback settles in. Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner appears to have bigger plans than simply using the running back as a traditional ball-carrier.
At SEC Media Days on Wednesday in Tampa Bay, Baugh said Faulkner told him he could see action at quarterback this season.
"Well, Coach Buster, he recruited me out of high school when he was at Georgia Tech. We had a real good relationship," Baugh said, via USA Today.
"He was talking to me day in and day out, and he was just telling me how he could use me in the offense, at quarterback, running back, anywhere on the field. I feel like that's definitely gonna get displayed this year."
What that looks like in practice is still unclear. Florida could use Baugh as a runner from the quarterback spot, or it could let him put a few throws into the mix and add another layer to an offense that already has a talented receiver trio.
Baugh said he expects Jones and Philo to handle the competition well and called it just another offseason battle for the Gators.
"Again, those two quarterbacks are great quarterbacks," he said. "They're gonna be able to display their talents this year.
"But in the running back room, we stick to the same plan every day - go out there, work hard, just put our best efforts on the field, because each and every day you're fighting for a job. And all of us know that it's competitive, but also we're brothers as well."
In Other News...
Jadan Baugh Just Sent A Bold Message About Florida's Defense
Jadan Baugh spent his time at SEC Media Days sounding less like a running back and more like a believer in what Florida is trying to build on the other side of the ball. With Jon Sumrall overseeing a roster overhaul and Buster Faulkner stepping in to guide an offense that still has plenty to sort out, Baugh pointed to the Gators defense as the unit that can help steady things early. He described it as fast and electric, the kind of group that should make life difficult for opponents once the season starts.
For Baugh, the message was about more than just praise from the sideline. He also talked about the leadership role he sees for himself on a team filled with transfers and younger players, saying he is trying to become the best leader he can in that setting. If Florida is going to lean on its defense the way it hopes, that kind of voice inside the locker room could matter just as much as the speed and energy Baugh sees on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Jon Sumrall Just Raised A Major Red Flag For Florida's Offense
After 15 spring practices, Jon Sumrall left with a clear concern about Floridas offense, and it starts up front. The Gators offensive line did not leave the kind of impression he wanted when he first arrived in Gainesville, and he described that unit as underwhelming before the group had a chance to reset and attack the offseason work ahead.
There is still some optimism built into the roster, though, because Sumrall pointed to Jadan Baugh and a talented group of receivers as players who can help steady the offense while the line sorts itself out. The bigger question now is whether summer training camp can turn that early red flag into something closer to a strength before the season begins. [Read more 🡒]