The Tape & Scheme Analysis
Missouri didn’t just stop Baugh. They squeezed him.
13 yards on 12 carries. Season-low. That’s 1.08 per tote. First loss of the Sumrall era, 45-17 final.
Film shows why. Mizzou played heavy quarters. Rolled a nickel down late. Created 8-man boxes on early downs.
Florida’s answer was inside zone. Again and again. No counter. No split-zone arc to move the edge.
Center Harrison Moore was honest about it. Baugh got hit at the line. Two to three tacklers on the ball. That is not a running back issue. That is displacement up front.
Baugh texted Sumrall Sunday: “Coach, I’m sorry. I won’t let that ever happen again. I didn’t play my best.”
Sumrall noted the context. Baugh doesn’t text. In December, Sumrall couldn’t reach him. For him to reach out unsolicited matters.
Tactically, this loss forces Florida to adjust protection and run fits. The starting five has been static: Bryce Lovett, Knijeah Harris, Harrison Moore, TJ Shanahan Jr., Emeka Ugorji left to right. Good continuity. Poor anchor against slants.
Moore told Baugh directly: “No, I need to do better. We didn’t give you the opportunity”. That is correct. Missouri ran T/E stunts. Looped the 3-tech into the A-gap. Florida stayed in 6-man slide protection. No full-slide check.
Next step is simple. Add pin-pull. Add GT counter. Use Baugh as a check-release vertical threat. When teams load quarters, punish with RPO glance behind the nickel. Sumrall and OC Buster Faulkner built this run game around Baugh’s patience. Now they need to build answers around him.
Baugh still owns accountability. He also owned the locker room. He apologized to the offensive line first. That’s how you keep the trenches bought in.
Recruiting & Roster Depth Context
Baugh is not a fluke. He is a program recruit.
Class of 2024. Columbia High, Decatur, GA. Four-star on signing day. Chose Florida over Alabama after decommitting from Arkansas. On3 Industry: 89.93, RB #3 nationally. On3 College Rating: 98.00.
He stayed when portal noise got loud. Described as one of the most sought-after portal targets before Sumrall arrived. He stayed.
Production matches pedigree. Through four weeks he led the SEC: 600 yards, 11 touchdowns on 83 carries, 7.2 YPC. Five straight 100-yard games. That tied Fred Taylor and Emmitt Smith territory. Season totals now 613 yards and 11 scores, top five in FBS.
Depth behind him is thin on proven carries. True freshman four-star Ford flashed in the spring game with a sack as an edge, but at RB it’s London Montgomery and the transfer Leonard Farrow mix. Montgomery handles kick return. No one replicates Baugh’s contact balance.
This is why the text matters for recruiting. High 4-star backs watch how a staff treats its bell cow after a bad day. Sumrall: “I love Jadan because he owned it”. That clip travels in living rooms.
The Projected Depth Chart Impact
| Position | Starter | Role Shift After Missouri | Snap Count Projection | Stability Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB | Jadan Baugh (Jr.) | Centralizes again, adds 3rd-down protection reps | 65-70% | A+ |
| RB2 | London Montgomery | Change-of-pace, kick return specialist | 20-25% | B |
| RB3 | Leonard Farrow / Jadan Baugh backup | Short-yardage, must improve pass pro | 5-10% | C+ |
| QB | Aaron Philo (Jr.) | More RPO authority vs quarters | 100% of 1s | B+ |
| LT – LG | Bryce Lovett / Knijeah Harris | Need better combo climb to second level | 85%+ | B |
| C | Harrison Moore | Makes protection calls, full-slide trigger | 100% | A- |
| RG – RT | TJ Shanahan Jr. / Emeka Ugorji | Must handle T/E stunts without help | 85%+ | B- |
| WR X | Vernell Brown III | Vertical stretch to lighten box | 70% | B+ |
| The SEC Outlook |
Florida is 4-1 after a 52-28 statement over Ole Miss vaulted them to No. 8. Then Missouri punched them in the mouth.
That is SEC play. Every week tests your explosive run rate.
South Carolina is next. Noon kick on ESPN. This is a get-right game for the run scheme. If Florida establishes duo and counters early, Baugh returns to 120+ and two scores.
Bold read: This 13-yard game resets him. He is still RB1 in the league. Still top three in Heisman boards entering Week 5. Early NFL boards have him at 13 overall, RB1, Day 1 starter grade.
Florida finishes 9-3 if the OL fixes gap integrity. 8-4 if they don’t. Baugh’s promise — “I won’t let that ever happen again” — is not PR. It is a film correction. Expect Faulkner to give him more gap-scheme touches and less inside zone into loaded quarters.
That is how you protect a Heisman-level back.
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