Latest news with #DJLagway
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida football QB DJ Lagway shuts down injury rumors during 2025 SEC media days
Florida football quarterback DJ Lagway had one clear message during the 2025 SEC media days event in Atlanta: he's healthy, and he's ready to lead the Florida Gators this season. Lagway was limited during spring practice with a shoulder injury, but he told reporters that it is no longer an issue heading into the 2025 season. "Just to say, I don't have a prosthetic arm," Lagway joked. "Just letting y'all know that." Lagway, a former five-star recruit out of high school, was recovering from a shoulder issue that kept him from throwing during the spring. Despite the missed reps, the Gators' quarterback said he's confident in how far he's come. "I'm itching and crawling to get back on the field with the guys," Lagway said. "But I'm feeling great. Training has been amazing, I've been working. I'm actually getting better at doing that, just trying to get back to throwing the ball." Lagway added that the recovery process has given him time to focus on refining the mental and technical side of his game. "I've been working on mechanics that's going to help my accuracy this year, help my decision-making," he said. "It's been great. I'm just excited to get out there with the guys." The injury caused concern throughout Gator Nation this offseason, as Florida's success this season plays a large part on Lagway's health. Head coach Billy Napier didn't dive into the details of Lagway's injury status during his SEC media days appearance, but he did share a positive update. According to Napier, Lagway took part in a throwing session earlier before the team's trip to Atlanta, a promising sign as fall camp approaches. Napier added that the staff expects the sophomore quarterback to be fully healthy and ready to go when preseason practices begin. "We don't have anyone that we anticipate not being available at the beginning of training camp," Napier said when asked about the health surrounding the team. While specifics remain scarce with Lagway's status, both he and Napier expressed confidence in his recovery trajectory. When asked whether he underwent a procedure to address lingering issues, Lagway acknowledged minor setbacks but kept the details minimal. "Yeah, you know, a lot of players have (nooks) and crannies, little things that was lingering during the season," Lagway said. "Outside of that, I'm just ready to get out there." All eyes will be on Lagway as he returns to full strength with a chance to become one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC this season. Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as , and like our page on to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: DJ Lagway injury update: Florida football QB healthy for 2025 season
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida football QB DJ Lagway speaks at 2025 SEC Media Days
It was the Florida Gators' turn at the podium on Wednesday afternoon in Atlanta during the 2025 SEC media days event, and among the members of the Orange and Blue to take the stage and field questions from the press was starting quarterback DJ Lagway. The topics on hand ranged from Lagway's offseason recovery from some nagging injuries to expectations for the upcoming campaign. He also discussed his relationship with the coaches and fellow team members, including fellow SEC media days representatives Jake Slaughter and Caleb Banks. Below is a look at an abridged transcription from Lagway's moment in the spotlight at the 2025 SEC media days event, focusing on his responses most germane to the Orange and Blue. Where are you looking to grow personally — whether a mechanical or mental perspective? "I'm definitely looking to improve on more coverage recognition and knowing where the defense is going to be and truly knowing their responsibilities and also knowing my teammates' responsibilities better." Last year, LSU came into the Swamp. You basically helped lead them with one good leg. What do you remember about that game? "I remember that whole week it was a lot of ups and downs mentally, just figuring out what's the plan going to be, if I'm going to even be able to be out there. But once we hit Thursday, it's time to lock in — we've got to go get this W, doesn't really matter. "Playing against a great LSU team, they were good last year. And I'm excited to go to Death Valley this year, and it's going to be fun." What were the most challenging things about getting on the field in the SEC as early in your career as you did? "I would say the most challenging thing was really just time management, going from being in high school and then going to SEC, big-time college football, it's a big difference. Especially where I'm from a little town,Willis, Texas, it's a big difference. "Once I got adjusted to that and adjusted to knowing the offense and knowing where my people were at, that's why I'm excited for this year because I know where my people are at. Now I can know where the defense is at and get better at that." What do you remember about that Texas A&M game? How much are you looking forward to playing this year at Kyle Field? "I'm definitely excited to go back play at Kyle Field. I've been in, like, a lot of games at Kyle Field. For me to be able to play in one that's going to be surreal, having all my family, my teammates, my classmates, my coaches, teachers all of them being at the game, it's going to be fun." As a freshman, most players don't come in thinking they have to kind of put the world on their shoulders. But when you were kind of thrust in there, that's exactly what happened. For sure. How much did speculation about Coach Napier and his job status actually impact you? "When I'm out there playing, I'm just thinking about playing ball. I'm worried about trying to figure out, my freshman year, trying to figure out where my guys were going. Every time I step on the field, that's when life just kind of stopped for me. It's, like, playing ball and just being just in the moment. "My biggest thing last year, I always wanted to get into some kind of flow state. Flow state is where you're just moving, it's just natural, everything happens naturally. That's where I wanted to be at every game." What is it like to play in front of the fans in the Swamp? "Words can't even explain it, playing in the Swamp. The fans bring it each and every Saturday. I'm just thankful to be a part of it, and be able to be in the Swamp, and they're rooting for us and chewing us and giving us that true advantage." How much confidence does your first-half performance against UGA last season give you going into this year's matchup? "It gives me a lot of confidence that, you know, it doesn't matter who really is out there. It's all about us. It's all about how we prepare and how we go out there and treat the week. "Watching that game, after I got hurt, it was the hardest thing. I hated that. I just wanted to be out there with my guys. That's all I want to do is just play football. Seeing that, it was hard. But definitely giving me the confidence for next year to go out there and play." Having guys like Jake and Caleb return, having that continuity with upperclassmen, does that raise internal expectations for you? "I'd say not expectations. We're not really worried about that. We're just worried about one day at a time and just loving on each other, getting better. That's really what it's about. And the brotherhood that we've built and the camaraderie that we have is just amazing. I'm excited just to showcase it to the world." How will Jadan Baugh play a role in the offense this season? "Jadan Baugh is a huge part of the offense. I'm excited for him. He's been working his tail off this offseason. He's definitely going to help us a lot this year." Aside from something like leadership, what do you think your best attribute is as a quarterback? Do you have anybody that you model yourself after? "My best attribute as a quarterback is really just — I'd say just my, as people would say, I guess my aura, confidence, and just the way I portray myself on game day. My teammates always joke around about, like, they say that I'm a totally different person on game day. It kind of oozes out of me. And it's just great to be able to be that formy guys." Looking around the conference at some of the other quarterbacks, how would you evaluate the level of play at the quarterback position? "There's a lot of good quarterbacks in the SEC right now. It's just great to see, to be able to competeagainst some of them and to watch them further their careers and stuff like that down the road. I'm excited for them. Always praying for them." How do you manage the pressure of being the starting quarterback at UF, especially after the way you played last season? "I always say that pressure is a privilege. Once you have privilege, that means people are counting on you to do big things. I'm always excited when people say pressure. That's why I just love the game day atmosphere because it feels like all eyes are on you and you've got to put on a show. That's what I'm excited for." How do you internalize and handle that pressure? "The way I handle pressure and all that stuff, I kind of prepare during the week like crazy. And preparation leads to confidence. So once I get to Saturday, I already know that I put all the work in and did what I needed to do. And kudos to the coaching staff. "They prepare us like crazy, Coach O'Hara and Coach Napier, they put together a plan for the quarterbacks and the team in general. When we get out there, we already know what's going to happen, dang near. So it's great." How do you think your faith helps you as a leader, especially through the ups and downs of a typical football season? "I definitely say faith is a huge part of my life. Having God as the foundation has been wonderful because, as you said, there's a lot of ups and downs on the football field, even in life, but having that foundation tokeep me strong is beneficial." Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida Football: DJ Lagway answers questions at 2025 SEC Media Days
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
CBS Sports predicts 1,000-yard receiver for Florida football in 2025 season
It's been more than two decades since a Florida football wide receiver eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in a single season. That streak could come to an end in 2025. In a recent roundup of bold SEC predictions, CBS Sports' Brad Crawford projected that Florida's offense–led by quarterback DJ Lagway–is poised to break the program's longest-standing offensive drought. Crawford believes this fall could mark the first time since Taylor Jacobs' 1,088-yard campaign in 2002 that a Florida receiver reaches the milestone. For head coach Billy Napier, 2025 represents a potential turning point–not just for the team's record, but for its identity on offense. Lagway will be working with a wide receiver room that blends veteran experience with high-upside newcomers. Eugene "Tre" Wilson III returns as the top target for Lagway and the Gators offense, UCLA transfer J. Michael Sturdivant brings production and size while Aidan Mizell carries elite speed. Two of the top wide receiver recruits in the nation–Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III–round out the Gators' new-look group of wide receivers. With multiple legitimate options on the perimeter and Lagway's arm talent anchoring the offense, Florida's passing game could be positioned for its most dynamic season in recent years. Here is everything Crawford wrote about Florida football having a potential 1,000-yard receiver in 2025. What CBS Sports said about the Gators "Offense produces first 1,000-yard receiver since 2002: Taylor Jacobs remains the last Florida pass catcher to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark, finishing with 1,088 yards more than two decades ago. The Gators are expected to air it out this fall with D.J. Lagway under center, and this unit features several receivers capable of reaching a milestone that only Ricky Pearsall, Kadarius Toney, Riley Cooper and Dallas Baker have come close to matching since Jacobs. "Whether it's Eugene Wilson, transfer J. Michael Sturdivant or one of Florida's two elite freshmen in Vernell Brown III or Dallas Wilson — someone from this group has a strong chance to finally break through." Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as , and like our page on to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: CBS Sports predicts 1,000-yard receiver for Florida football in 2025
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
DJ Lagway Left Speechless After Fan's $6,000 Gesture
DJ Lagway Left Speechless After Fan's $6,000 Gesture originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As a true freshman for the Florida Gators this past season, quarterback DJ Lagway burst onto the scene with authority. Following an injury to Graham Mertz, Lagway started seven games, leading the Gators to a 6-1 record. He also tossed the pill for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns, while rushing for an additional 101 yards. The former five-star recruit from the 2024 class, who ranked as the No. 1 quarterback in the class, is widely expected to emerge as one of the sport's best this season after having a second offseason in the system and some reps under his belt. With his presumed status as one of the best in college football, collectors are already doing anything they can to get their hands on Lagway memorabilia. Something that the sophomore quarterback learned firsthand on Wednesday, as an avid collector, surprised Lagway with how much he spent on a one-of-one autographed chrome card. When asked how much he thought the card was, Lagway threw out a guess of $25. A figure that was a few thousand short, as collector Geoff Wilson revealed he spent $6,000. After initially staring at the card in awe, Lagway eventually stated, "$6,000? That's crazy." While the Willis, Texas product may be shocked at how much it is worth now, that value may only skyrocket depending on how the rest of his career unfolds. With the Gators emerging as the popular pick to be a College Football Playoff dark horse, all eyes will be on Lagway in 2025. He and the Gators open the year against LIU on Aug. story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida QB was 'definitely considering' Texas A&M before committing to the Gators
On Wednesday, during the third day of this week's SEC media days, the Florida Gators were one of three teams that spoke to the media, which included sophomore and former five-star quarterback DJ Lagway, who was one of Texas A&M's long-time recruiting targets in the 2024 recruiting class. Similar to Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed, Lagway was thrust into the starting lineup during his 2024 freshman season due to quarterback Graham Mertz's injury issues, leading to Lagway taking over as the full-time starter down the stretch and helping the Gators to an 8-5 finish. In 12 appearances, Lagway threw for 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, and is expected to take a significant jump in 2025. During his media appearance on Wednesday, Lagway was asked about his connection to Texas A&M, with fans and Aggie media members recalling it as one of the tightest recruiting battles just months after former A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher was fired. A Willis, Texas native, Lagway was a small school product with one of the biggest arms since former Clemson and current Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence's prep days. When asked if he seriously considered the Aggies even after Fisher was dismissed, Lagway was quick to state that Texas A&M was his first offer, and could have been his future destination if it wasn't for the Gators' late momentum. "Yes sir, I was definitely considering A&M… actually A&M was my first SEC offer" Lagway stated. "In being right down the road, they have a great program, Coach Elko has done an amazing job over there." Lagway further pointed out that Florida's "gameday atmosphere" ultimately sold him, and while there was a slim possibility that he could enter the transfer portal, winning five out of six games with Lagway at the helm was more than enough to keep him committed to the program. Florida will visit Texas A&M on Saturday, October 11. Lagway, who traded reps with Mertz during Florida's loss to the Aggies last season, will visit Kyle Field for the first time as a player and is very excited to potentially pull off an SEC road upset. "I've been to a lot of games at Kyle Field. For me to play in one, it's going to be surreal." Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
