Cole Pepper
Two games into the season, Florida head coach Billy Napier is answering questions about his freshman quarterback DJ Lagway.
Lagway put up huge numbers against Samford on Saturday. Starting for the injured Graham Mertz, Lagway passed for 456 yards, the most by a true freshman in Gators’ history.
Mertz was held out of the game with a concussion but is set to return this week as Florida hosts Texas A&M to open SEC play.
Napier says the plan is to use both quarterbacks, allowing Lagway to gain experience.
“I think our intention the entire time has been to play DJ in every game,” Napier said. “Obviously he gets a little bit more experienced each week. And certainly, for him to have the opportunity to be the starter, prepare with the ones, and then go play — and the way he did that, you know, the poise, the composure — I just think it shows that he’s ready to do what we intend to do with him going forward.”
In most situations, the logical approach would be to give Lagway as much playing time as possible to prepare him to be the long-term starter at Florida. But there is the added element of Napier’s job security to consider.
After losing the opener to Miami, Napier’s seat got hotter. It was already warm after consecutive poor seasons. The next three weeks are crucial for the Gators’ season. With games against A&M, Mississippi State and UCF on the schedule, Florida must win all three to avoid needing a major upset to be bowl eligible. If they lose one of the next three, it could come down to the season finale against Florida State to determine if Florida will earn a spot in a bowl game. Even then, it might be too little, too late for Napier.
That’s how important the next three games are for the head coach. In a more secure situation, Napier could give Lagway more playing time, knowing that there is a benefit of the doubt that would come with playing a top recruit. Instead, it’s most likely that Mertz will continue to start when healthy.
The other component of the decision could come from Lagway. The freshman’s loyalty to Napier could impact the head coach’s future opportunities.
Fans (and many reporters) are easily influenced by the unknown. Mertz is, for all intents and purposes, a known quantity: Excellent teammate, smart player, makes the safe plays, limited physically. Lagway is the unknown, with a high ceiling and exciting potential. And, at least against Samford, he looked the part.
It seems that the question is not whether the Gators have a quarterback controversy, but rather when the controversy becomes an issue for the head coach. It seems clear that it is only a matter of time before Lagway is the starter in Gainesville.
