Baugh transfers from HBU to Minnesota, hopeful to start for Golden Gophers
Kyler Baugh, a Talihina High School graduate, is transferring to the University of Minnesota after three years at Houston Baptist University, a move he announced on Friday.
“I committed to Minnesota because it’s a Big Ten school, a Power Five school. I liked what coach [Dave] Rossi said,” Baugh said.
Baugh said the Golden Gophers coaches saw on film how the 6-3, 295-pound defensive tackle ran and his high motor.
Baugh said Minnesota, which went 9-4, 6-3 in Big Ten play in 2021, expressed the desire to give him a high number of snaps and the possibility of starting.
Baugh kept that motor high and production steady in the fall while Houston Baptist went 0-11.
He compiled 52 tackles (24 solo and a team-high 4.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, placing second in the Southland Conference in tackles among interior defensive linemen. He totaled 104 tackles (11 for loss) in his three years for the Huskies.
“It was really hard with the 0-11 record. I know how I was raised, that I give all I got no matter what the outcome is,” he said.
Baugh made a big impact from the beginning of his freshman year for HBU, collecting 41 tackles (six for loss).
“They didn’t expect much from me being from Talihina, a small town, but as I progressed, I became a big part of the defense” he said.
Baugh recognized the pride that Talihina, as a town, has in him succeeding as a Division I college football player.
“It’s a real blessing. It’s a big deal around here,” he said.
Baugh, who has two years of college football eligibility left, hopes to start at Minnesota, become productive for the Golden Gophers and make Photo Courtesy Houston it to the National Football League.
Two National Football League players that Baugh likes to study have been Aaron Donald, the Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle who retired after Baptist University Athletics earning the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award, and Grady Jarrett. Two defensive linemen he is following in the NFL Draft today are Haskell Garrett of Ohio State and Jordan Davis of Georgia.