Colorado has Connections to Powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas, Allan Baugh the First Target

Head coach Karl Dorrell has solid connections to Florida high school powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas and wants to make that school a priority. They are in on defensive lineman Allan Baugh.

St. Thomas Aquinas is one of the premier high school football programs in the country. The powerhouse in Florida churns out top talent to the best division one programs every single year.

So as a defensive lineman, it can be hard to get significant playing time unless you are a four or five-star recruit.

“We rotate a lot on (defensive) line, probably more than most other positions,” said three-star recruit Allan Baugh. “This year our (defensive) line was very senior heavy, we had I think eight seniors on the line. So all of them are going to colleges, most of them division one. So breaking into the line, it took me a while, the first couple games, but after that I started working really hard and I broke through.”

Baugh was able to break into the rotation on the National Champions despite receiving much attention from schools across the country.

“It's definitely harder at St. Thomas when you have all that talent around you, especially if you're not a senior,” Baugh said. “But at the same time, it's all about competition, you know? If you really want it, you go work for it, you're going to get it. So I don't know everybody gets the same opportunity. There's no favorites. You've seen coaches bench four stars or five stars and star players.”

Interest has definitely picked up this spring for the 6-foot-3, 253-pound defensive lineman and Colorado was one of the first Power-5 suitors.

“Obviously Colorado has a connection to St. Thomas, (head coach Karl) Dorrell’s son went to St. Thomas Aquinas,” Baugh said. “So they know our school very well. So we were one of the first schools they contacted about players, 2021, and my name came up and I got a call from Coach Wilson and he extended the offer.”

Chandler Dorrell, who is now a player personnel assistant with the Buffs, went to St. Thomas before attending Vanderbilt. Karl Dorrell still knows a lot of people there including athletic director George Smith, who speaks very highly of Dorrell.

Baugh has had a phone call with Dorrell but has mostly been in contact with defensive line coach Chris Wilson.

“I really like coach Wilson,” Baugh said. “He's talked to my parents and stuff and it's been really solid conversations. Good guy, it’s not all about football for him. It's all about just making you a better person, better man and preparing you for life. So I really dig it.”

Baugh also says he was impressed with Wilson’s resume. Especially winning a Super Bowl while coaching the Philadelphia Eagles with defensive linemen such as Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham.

Baugh really prioritizes academics in what he looks for in a college. He is very interested in joining the military and/or attending a service academy. He has already received offers from Air Force and Army and he expects Navy to offer in the near future.

“I’m looking for a school that I can just grow academically, physically,” Baugh said. “I'm not a kid who wants to, how do I say it, I know how realistic chances are of playing in the NFL so obviously I want to go to a great academic school so the future is not just the NFL.”

He knows what Colorado has to offer academically and says that has made CU even more enticing. He plans to major in finance in college.

Baugh wants to take a visit to Colorado to check out both Air Force and CU if he is able to this summer. He also wants to visit the other service academies.