‘Coach, I’m Sorry’: Jadan Baugh Texts Jon Sumrall After Missouri Loss

Florida coach Jon Sumrall received a text from running back Jadan Baugh on Sunday.

“Coach, I’m sorry,” the text read. “I won’t ever let that happen again.”

The message followed Saturday’s 45-17 loss against Missouri. Baugh, who has led the Gators this year, went into the game as a Heisman contender, ranking first in the nation in rushing touchdowns (11) and second in total rushing yards (600). Missouri, however, held him to just 13 rushing yards on 12 attempts.

Sumrall said the performance wasn’t just the result of disappointing play from Baugh. He also credited it to the team not being able to support the running back. Florida’s offensive line struggled to create the same running lanes it had throughout the first four games, leaving Baugh with limited field to work with as the game progressed. 

The Gators’ struggles extended beyond their run game to finish with a lackluster overall performanceth. Missouri totaled 560 yards, while Florida also notched eight penalties for 80 yards, continuing a pattern of excessive unforced errors that has followed the Gators through the first five games. In short, they didn’t play well.

Regardless, Sumrall’s “1-0 every week” mantra hit play again Monday. That mentality, he said, started with accountability.

“We looked it squarely in the face,” he said Monday. “Plenty of that had already shown in previous outings, but it didn’t cost us wins and losses. When it costs you wins and losses, it becomes more heightened maybe, and more aware.”

The loss exposed issues Florida had originally overcome during its 4-0 start. The Gators entered the game averaging 260 rushing yards per game, but Missouri held them to just 42 on the ground. 

The struggles started up front. Missouri recorded 11 tackles for loss and three sacks, making it difficult for Florida to establish its rushing attack or give Aaron Philo much time to operate. The Gators averaged just 1.7 yards per carry, while Philo completed 21 of 34 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown. 

The problems inside the trenches weren’t limited to just the offense. Florida’s pass defense had already allowed 248.3 yards per game entering Saturday, the second-most in the SEC. Simmons added to that number, completing 23 of 30 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensive lineman Brendan Bett said the loss exposed Florida’s issues.

“Our weaknesses get masked…when you win you really don’t get to see all this stuff,” Bett said. “But when you lose, all of that gets exposed and that’s when you can go make corrections.”

For Florida, those corrections could not be pushed off until later in the week. The Gators returned to practice Monday with plenty to address on both sides of the ball.

Offensive lineman Harrison Moore said it was definitely easier to get back to work after the loss. He has already rewatched film from the game four or five times, looking for areas of improvement. 

“There was a lot of stuff we needed to clean up, and everybody was a little pissed off,” Moore said. “They woke up just angry this morning … I think we did a good job of having an intentional Monday and then it’s going to carry over to Tuesday practice, just getting better with every snap.”

Accountability and a team-first mentality have been priorities for the Gators since Sumrall joined the program. Bett said the team’s chemistry was an important factor in moving forward week after week, especially after a loss. 

“Everybody took ownership, nobody was pointing fingers,” he said. “Even today, we came out with the mindset, like, hey, it happened, we can put it behind us, but coming forward now, we gotta go, and we understand what we have to do now.”

Now, the No. 16 Gators (4-1, 2-1 SEC) look to bounce back before Saturday’s homecoming game against South Carolina (2-3, 0-3). The Gamecocks enter the matchup with zero conference wins, having lost eight straight SEC games dating back to last season. That aside, they bring one of the nation’s top rushing attacks into Gainesville, averaging 256 yards per game behind quarterback LaNorris Sellers and running back Matt Fuller. 

As the days tick down to Saturday (Coverage begins at 8:45 a.m. on WRUF 98.1-FM/850-AM/103.7 HD2 and at 12:45 p.m. on SEC Network), all eyes remain on how the Gators respond.

“I think adversity tells you more about who you are than success,” Sumrall said. “When things are not going the way you want, what you do next says more about than when things are going really well.”

Note: Florida’s Oct. 17 game at No. 1 Texas is schedule for a noon start ET from Austin’s Darrell K Royal Stadium and air on either ABC or ESPN, with the networks determining after Saturday’s games.

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