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Could DJ Lagway be the saving grace for Billy Napier's job at Florida?

By Sam Fariss

Aug 31, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) runs with the ball against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Aug 31, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) runs with the ball against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
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There's no denying that Florida's Billy Napier is at risk of becoming the first head coach fired during the 2024 season.

After a disastrous kickoff to the year against in-state rival Miami, Napier and the Gators are looking to bounce back against the Samford Bulldogs, and work towards saving Napier's job.

Florida shared that starting quarterback Graham Mertz suffered a concussion in the season opener against the Hurricanes and won't be available for the Week 2 matchup. So, who will lead the Gators' charge in their second game of the season?

None other than five-star true freshman DJ Lagway, of course.

Lagway committed to Napier and the Gators all the way back in December of 2022 and signed with Florida over a year later on Dec. 20, 2023.

The five-star prospect joined the Gators' roster in January of this year and took part in the team's spring scrimmage. Lagway finished the spring game going 12-for-21 with 173 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.

Sure, Lagway's performance against his own teammates wasn't flawless, there's no denying it. However, it was his first chance at a "real" collegiate game experience. On the flip side, the true freshman was a star in high school.

DJ Lagway's high school football resume

  • 2023: Gatorade National Player of the Year. He set the Texas 6A single-season record for touchdown passes, led Willis High School to its best record in over 60 years and its first trip to the regional semifinals since 1994. He completed 289 of 393 pass attempts (72.1 percent) for 4,605 yards with 59 TDs and 8 INTs. He Added 100 attempts for 953 yards and 16 TDs on the ground.
  • 2022: In eight games as a junior, he threw for 2,081 yards, 24 TD, and 5 INT while completing 67 percent of his passes (134 of 200). He added 50 attempts, 517 yards, and 7 TDs rushing (10.3 yards per carry).
  • 2021: Starting quarterback as a sophomore. He led Willis HS to a 6-6 record and a Texas 6A D-II second-round playoff appearance. He threw for 1,579 yards, 17 TDs, and 2 INTs on a 55.5 completion percentage (137 of 247). He added 129 attempts, 710 yards, and 6 touchdowns rushing (5.5 Yards per carry).
  • 2020: He played safety on varsity as a freshman. Recorded 18 tackles (1 TFL) and had limited snaps at quarterback

The moral of the story is, Lagway has the opportunity to show that he deserves the starting quarterback job over, now-sidelined, Graham Mertz.

If Lagway earns the QB1 role and leads the Gators to a winning season over the rest of their 2024 campaign, he may just save his head coach's job.

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