Why 2025 is a season of intrigue for Florida football quarterback DJ Lagway
Suffice it to say, Lagway's heroics ostensibly saved Billy Napier his job. However, while the pressure has lessened a tad on the head coach's hot seat, the Orange and Blue have high expectations this year while facing what is arguably the toughest schedule among FBS teams.
Napier has put his full trust in his sophomore gunslinger despite some injury concerns during the preseason.
"This guy's got a lot of ceiling," Florida's skipper offers. "There's a lot there, fundamentally and overall football knowledge. The impressive thing about him is the mental makeup, the humility. He just shifts into this competitor. He goes to a different space as a competitor. It's not too big for him."
With that said, ESPN college football reporter Chris Low recently took on the task of evaluating the intriguing aspects of all the Southeastern Conference's 16 starting quarterbacks, offering up the following for Lagway.
The intrigue behind DJ Lagway
"As a freshman this past season, Lagway had moments when he was everything everybody thought he would be when he came out of Willis, Texas, as a five-star recruit. He's got a great arm, ideal size (6-3, 247 pounds) and the awareness and escapability in the pocket to extend plays," Low begins.
"Lagway wasn't the Gators' full-time starter until the last part of the season, after Graham Mertz tore his left ACL in the third quarter of a 23-17 overtime loss to Tennessee. It was in that game that Lagway showed his vast potential in a very hostile road environment. His 27-yard touchdown pass on third-and-19 to Chimere Dike with 29 seconds remaining tied the game before the Vols won in overtime," he continues.
"Lagway had 12 completions of 40 yards or longer this past season and was 6-1 as a starter, helping lead the Gators to four straight wins to close the season."
DJ Lagway's path to success
"The lingering question with Lagway is his durability and whether he can stay healthy. He battled an injury to his throwing shoulder in the spring and was limited. Most recently, a strained left calf held him back. He didn't participate in the Gators' first scrimmage, but according to insiders, has continued to throw regularly and looked good," Low offers.
"He also missed a game and a half this past season with a hamstring injury. Lagway also put the ball in some dangerous spots at times, but what freshman doesn't? The bottom line is if he stays healthy, he has greatness written all over him."
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