Latest news with #Lagway
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN says Florida can compete for national championship 'if' these 4 things happen
The upcoming college football season could be among the best in recent history for the University of Florida, but several things must go right for that to happen. ESPN's Bill Connelly broke down the major title contenders with his "ifs" system — as in Florida wins the national championship if such-and-such happens. There are teams with two ifs, three ifs and four ifs. Florida is a four-if team, and a lot of the pressure falls on the shoulders of sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway. Connelly relies on data and numbers in his writing, so it's not surprising to see him question Lagway, who is still fairly green. Still, Connelly writes that Florida wins the College Football Playoffs "if Lagway is what we think he is." The team played differently with Lagway on the field last year, but he only started and completed a handful of games as a true freshman. Beginning the year behind Graham Mertz and minor injuries have him a bit less prepared than some would like for a supposed Heisman contender. "Like Arch Manning, we're projecting success onto DJ Lagway," Connelly wrote. "The No. 8 prospect in the 2024 class went 6-1 as a starter and averaged an explosive 16.7 yards per completion. But he also threw nine interceptions with subpar efficiency, and he ranked 69th in Total QBR. That he's currently No. 6 in the Heisman odds, then, feels aggressive. Lagway has great size, a huge arm and solid mobility, but that's a lot of hype." Lagway needs some help The second stipulation for Florida to win it all is "if (Lagway) has receivers." There's a lot of unproven talent in Florida's wide receivers room ready to take the place of Elijhah Badger and Chimere Dike. UCLA transfer J. Michael Sturdivant figures to be in the mix alongside Eugene Wilson III, who is returning from injury, and speedster Aidan Mizell. "Wilson caught 61 passes as a freshman and had receptions of 85 and 40 yards early in 2024 before a season-ending injury. He's a likely star, but Lagway will also need help from others," wrote Connelly. Five-star freshmen Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson are also likely to see some action. Kahleil Jackson is a veteran presence who showed plenty of flashes before his 2024 ended early due to surgery. Sophomore Tank Hawkins, redshirt freshman TJ Abrams and true freshman Naeshaun Montgomery are all talented players who will compete for a spot in the rotation, too. Some defensive development is needed Florida dealt with a litany of injuries last season, and the underclassmen got plenty of playing time as a result. Connelly says that "last season's sophomore defenders become steely-eyed veterans" if Florida is going to win the national championship. "Of the 12 returning defenders who had 200-plus snaps, eight are now sophomores or juniors. That the Gators still jumped from 60th to 23rd in defensive SP+ was exciting, and it wouldn't be surprising if the Gators enjoyed another leap in 2025. That will require juniors such as nickel Sharif Denson and linebacker Grayson Howard to raise their games even more." Cormani McClain and Dijon Johnson are two other defensive backs who could stand to take a step forward if they're going to be regulars in the Florida secondary. In the front seven, LJ McCray and Myles Graham are two names expected to take on a bigger role this year. Depth, depth, depth Every good football team has depth at a position or two. The great ones have depth at several spots on the field. Florida plays what might be the toughest regular season schedule for the second year in a row, and it took two late-season upsets to finish 8-5 last year. Florida wins the national championship if "the Gators have the depth to survive this ridiculous schedule," according to Connelly. "Upsets of LSU and Ole Miss were exciting, but with seven more projected top-15 opponents on the schedule, a genuine title run will require even more huge wins and exceptional depth." 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.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Where does Florida football's Billy Napier fall in CBS Sports' SEC coach rankings?
Florida football head coach Billy Napier has been ranked No. 11 in CBS Sports' SEC coach rankings for the 2025 season. Last year, Napier was ranked No. 13 on the list, although moving up two spots doesn't feel like much of an improvement despite finishing the season on a four-game win streak. Included in those victories were then-ranked No. 21 LSU, No. 9 Ole Miss, Florida State and Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl. But that late-season surge didn't move the needle much going into this year's SEC coach rankings. Napier is entering his fourth and most important season with the Florida Gators and has garnered an exact record of 19-19 during his tenure. CBS Sports' Brad Crawford emphasized the reliance that Napier has on quarterback DJ Lagway. If Lagway struggles, it could be Napier's last season in Gainesville. Here is everything Crawford wrote about Napier heading into the 2025 college football season. What CBS Sports said about Napier "Napier slashed his way through what many considered the toughest schedule in college football history last fall and lived to fight another day with the Gators. And part of the reason for optimism under his tutelage is the emergence of D.J. Lagway at quarterback, a former elite recruit that Napier managed to hold onto before unleashing as a freshman in 2024. "Lagway's the singlemost important player for the former Louisiana coach and likely determines whether his tenure will be successful or not." CBS Sports' 2025 SEC coach rankings 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.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
DJ Lagway cracks top five in CBS Sports' 2025 SEC QB rankings
Florida football quarterback DJ Lagway has cracked the top five in CBS Sports' 2025 SEC quarterback rankings. The sophomore was ranked right at the No. 5 spot by CBS Sports' Brad Crawford. In the rankings, Lagway trailed John Mateer (Oklahoma Sooners), LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina Gamecocks), Arch Manning (Texas Longhorns) and Garrett Nussmeier (LSU Tigers). Crawford mentioned that people around the Florida Gators football program have given Lagway the title of being the best quarterback to play for the Orange and Blue since Tim Tebow. If Lagway can show signs of improvement and progress throughout his collegiate career, there's no doubt that he has a chance to be up there with Tebow when it's all said and done in terms of being one of the best quarterbacks to play for the Gators. During his freshman season, Lagway played in 12 games while starting seven, tallying a 6-1 record in those starts. He threw for 1,915 yards on 115-of-192 passing (59.9 percent), 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions while rushing 51 times for 101 yards. Although those nine interceptions can jump off the page, it's important to note that Lagway was in his first year playing collegiate football facing a gauntlet of a schedule in the SEC. With a year of experience under his belt, Lagway should take a big step forward in terms of improvement going into his sophomore campaign for the Gators. Here is everything Crawford said about Lagway and his position as Florida's quarterback. What CBS Sports said about Lagway "Florida's quarterback did not throw this spring while dealing with an undisclosed shoulder situation, but has been labeled by most around the program as the Gators' top player at the position since Tim Tebow. That's high praise and brings significant -- perhaps unobtainable expectations -- as a first-year starter in 2025. "He has next-level traits and showed plenty of that when he helped the Gators beat nationally-ranked Ole Miss, LSU and Tulane late last fall. And what Lagway has that only a few others do in these rankings is elite talent around him at wide receiver." CBS Sports' 2025 SEC QB rankings 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.
Los Angeles Times
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Will former UCLA quarterback Joey Aguilar win the starting job at Tennessee?
ATLANTA — The Southeastern Conference's evolving quarterback situations continued to be a focal point of SEC media days on Wednesday. Florida quarterback DJ Lagway went 6-1 after taking over as the starter midway through 2024, creating some buzz around the Gators heading into year four of the Billy Napier era. Mississippi State quarterback Blake Shapen is back after a shoulder injury ended his 2024 season in September, and the Bulldogs are looking to respond from a winless league campaign in year two under Jeff Lebby. Meanwhile, Tennessee has an ongoing quarterback battle with three participants, headlined by Appalachian State transfer Joey Aguilar. Tennessee underwent one of the highest profile quarterback changes. Former five-star recruit Nico Iamaleava started all 13 games for the Volunteers last season as they reached the College Football Playoff, but departed the week of the spring game before eventually transferring to UCLA. Coach Josh Heupel — a former National Championship winning quarterback himself — confirmed three quarterbacks are still in the mix to earn the job heading into preseason camp. 'We've found a way to win with a lot of different quarterbacks throughout my career,' Heupel said. 'And we're going to find a way to win with the guy that earns a starting spot as we go through training camp here in August.' Aguilar initially transferred from Appalachian State to UCLA in December, but re-entered the portal and enrolled at Tennessee following Iamaleava's exit. He started 11 games for the Mountaineers in 2024, throwing for 3,002 yards and 23 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. Jake Merklinger appeared in two games last season while redshirting, and George MacIntyre is an incoming true freshman. 'Now it's about getting to training camp and going and competing,' Heupel said. 'Somebody is going to earn the opportunity to be our starting quarterback through that process.' As Napier enters his fourth season, only one player on his roster has appeared in every single game of his tenure. Center Jake Slaughter brings a streak of 38 consecutive games played and 21 consecutive starts into 2025, and was the only 2024 AP All-America selection in attendance at SEC media days. 'He was voted team captain by his teammates last year, and he very much lives it out,' Napier said about Slaughter. 'He's a guy that sets the tone every day.' The battery between Slaughter and Lagway sparked a late charge last fall, helping Florida rebound from a 4-5 start to win its final four games including upsets of then No. 22 LSU and No. 9 Ole Miss. Lagway's 6-1 mark as a starter tied Chris Leak for the most wins by a true freshman quarterback in program history. 'He treats everything like it's the last thing he's ever going to do,' Slaughter said on Lagway. 'But then on game day, he's got a different type of swag to him. He's getting everybody fired up. You don't see that from Sunday through Friday, just Saturday.' Lebby has nowhere to go but up after a winless conference season and a 2-10 overall record in 2024. Part of Mississippi State's struggles last season spiraled from Shapen's injury. The Baylor transfer fractured his right scapula in week four and the Bulldogs went 1-7 in his absence. 'I am 100% healthy,' Shapen said. 'Obviously it was tough not playing last year, but I'm back now and I feel better than ever.' Shapen threw eight touchdowns and only one interception with 974 passing yards in his limited sample size, creating some belief his return combined with an extra year of experience in Lebby's offense can help the Bulldogs in 2025. 'Inside our walls right now we have great belief,' Lebby said. 'Our guys are incredibly intent on getting better and changing the outcome this fall.' Cole writes for the Associated Press.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
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 @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.
