He repeatedly smashed into the consciousness of a fan base while running through the center of Kentucky’s typically strong defense on a windy, historic evening. Jadan Baugh, a freshman tailback for Florida, produced a tsunami because he was determined to make an impression. The consensus four-star prospect had a five-star first impression in his first collegiate start. In that 48-20 thumping of the Wildcats, the rugged Atlanta native, who filled in for injured veteran Montrell Johnson Jr., rushed for 106 yards on 22 carries and scored on five short touchdown runs.
As his offensive line pushed the pile, Baugh’s 230-pound body, which was accumulating centrifugal force with every step, exploded through A-gaps, bounced around the edges, and burrowed his way to the end zone. He was the only Gator to run for five touchdowns in a game at the end of this bizarre Saturday, joining Tim Tebow and Trey Burton.
Regarding the vision and jump cuts he displayed in front of an audience of 89,906, Baugh remarked afterwards, “It’s just been stuff I’ve been working on since I was little.” My parents ingrained that in me at a young age. Really, it’s simply secondhand nature. With the sequel approaching, a struggling fan base that has lost six of its previous seven games versus Georgia is forced to question whether its recently signed, 19-year-old star can perform well once more. Folk hero is not the same as Freshman of the Week.
And if Baugh can somehow help the unranked Gators (4-3, 2-2 SEC) beat the No. 2 Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1) then he would develop into the latter. Florida only needs a steady performance from Baugh that sustains drives, manages the clock, and perhaps prevents Georgia’s attack from finding a rhythm. They don’t need a Herculean effort or Herschel Walker effort (37 carries, 238 yards as a freshman versus Florida in 1980). Chimere Dike, a Gators receiver, stated, “He is different.”
The fact that he was taken from the Bulldogs’ backyard makes him much more special. As a senior at Columbia High in Decatur, Georgia, Baugh was a two-way force of nature who ran for 1,583 yards (14.0 yards per carry) and scored 19 touchdowns. He claims that in one game, he scored seven goals and had an eighth called back.
In fact, my brother (Matt, the coach at LaGrange High in Georgia) participated in a scrimmage with their squad,” Napier remembered. “He picked up the phone after that scrimmage and called me and said, ‘Hey, you need to get on that Jadan Baugh guy.'” At that time, he was committed to Arkansas. We increased it following that scrimmage.
As a senior, Napier witnessed a burly dynamo who changed the game as a tackler, tailback, or receiver (28 catches, 531 yards, and six touchdowns). Napier admitted that he was originally assessed as a linebacker by the Gators. He remarked, “That just goes to show how much we knew.” However, we were aware that he was a running back. He played receiver and was a hybrid wildcat quarterback. He was so large that, after watching the movie, you meet him and think, “Well, this is a little different cat here.”
After decommitting from Arkansas, Baugh had only two options left: Alabama and Florida. It was there that he became close to Gators running backs coach Jabbar Juluke. A talented room that already included Johnson, sophomore Treyaun Webb, and promising junior-college transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson gained a new dimension with his signing shortly before Christmas.
Kirby Smart, the coach of Georgia, who had known the child for years and had grown up 65 miles from his school, described him as “extremely physical, twitchy, really good athlete.” Kicks are returned for them. He is a versatile player who excels at catching the ball out of the backfield and has a high yardage after contact.
Before being included in the starting lineup against Kentucky, Baugh’s skill set showed itself in spurts during the first six games, including a four-carry, 53-yard performance against Mississippi State. DJ Lagway was the first true freshman to start at both running back and quarterback in the history of the program that night. Baugh and Lagway were responsible for all 65 yards, all of which were on the ground, on the Gators’ second touchdown drive of the evening. Lagway’s 58-yard long pass to Elijhah Badger and three 40-yard carries by Baugh, culminating in his 10-yard touchdown, completed their second touchdown drive.
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