Jon Sumrall’s Florida has one advantage over other teams pursuing one of the country’s top RBs. Bogart (Ga.) Prince Avenue Christian 4-star RB Andrew Beard is heading back to Gainesville on April 4. And the biggest reason for the Gators’ surge is the connection he has built with RBs coach Chris Foster. 

“Me and coach Foster talk all the time,” Andrew Beard said to Gators Online. 

He revealed Chris Foster checked in while he was in Costa Rica and how the communication remained consistent since the visit. He also revealed how he’s in touch with Jon Sumrall and “building a strong relationship with Florida.”

“It’s really just the details,” he added. “He’s just so detailed in what he does. I feel like he teaches the running back position on a deeper level than any coach in the country. It’s just how intricate he really gets with learning both the defense and offense.”

There’s a reason why Andrew Beard holds Chris Foster to a high regard. Before Florida, he was at Duke in 2025 where he coached freshman RB Nate Sheppard to 962 rushing yards, 10 TDs, and Second-Team All-ACC honors. Before that, at East Carolina, his RBs were averaging over 5 yards per carry, with Keaton Mitchell putting up 1,452 yards and 7.2 per carry. Prior to that at Georgia Southern, his room averaged 267.1 rushing yards per game. 

Jon Sumrall still has one team to worry about. Andrew Beard has Florida and Tennessee on his top two. So with multiple spring visits still ahead, there’s still time to keep strengthening the bond. And with the way Chris Foster is handling the Gators’ RB room after a bad season, the reason to go there is still strong. 

Jon Sumrall retains playmaker because of Chris Foster 

After a rough 4-8 season and a coaching reset, Florida’s priority was to retain talent rather than seek new players. The biggest win was holding onto RB Jadan Baugh and the staff put in the effort to make that happen. On Christmas Eve, Jon Sumrall, Chris Foster, and OC Buster Faulker went to Atlanta to meet the player and his family. Less than two weeks later, the RB was back in the fold.

“It was all about selling who I was as a person,” Foster said. “He talked about how relationships was important to him, and so I wanted him to see who I was as a person, more importantly than football and all that – that stuff didn’t matter.”

The same approach is now showing up in Andrew Beard’s recruitment. That’s for the best because lately more and more recruits are choosing relationships over brands. Chris Foster and the Gators still have work to do though as their Georgia target is taking more visits. Clemson has already hosted him this spring while both the Bulldogs and Volunteers are still in the conversation.

Florida has trust right now and if that holds through official visits in June, including his June 4-6 trip, you shouldn’t be too surprised to see him playing in Gainesville.