Billy Napier got fired on October 19th after a 3-4 start, the interim staff finished 1-4, and Florida closed 2025 at 4-8. Jon Sumrall arrived from Tulane at the end of November, met with quarterback DJ Lagway, and by Sumrall's own account, it did not go well. Two weeks later, Lagway entered the portal and eventually landed at Baylor. Thirty-two Gators left in the same cycle. And then Sumrall's staff turned around and retained every single other player who actually mattered.
The scout
Start with what Florida kept, because that is the real story. new general manager Dave Caldwell called it a priority, and the new staff went five-for-five on retention: running back Jadan Baugh, linebacker Myles Graham, edge rusher Jayden Woods, and receivers Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III all stayed in Gainesville when each one had a real path to leave.
Baugh is the centerpiece, and the numbers back up the hype. as a true sophomore in a broken 2025 offense, he became Florida's first 1,000-yard rusher since Kelvin Taylor in 2015 — 220 carries for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns, plus 33 catches for 185 yards through the air. he closed the season with 266 rushing yards against Florida State, the second-most in school history, denying the Seminoles bowl eligibility in the process. he is a preseason All-American, a preseason All-SEC first-teamer, and a projected first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft — and Sumrall got him to stay by showing up in person with his new offensive coordinator before Baugh could even test the market seriously.
Myles Graham is the defensive equivalent of that story. he was the previous coaching staff's very first commit in the 2024 class, led the team in tackles with 76 as a breakout sophomore, and re-signed early enough to set the tone for the rest of the retention push.