Highly regarded freshman DJ Lagway passed for 456 yards and three touchdowns in his debut start, leading Florida to a 45-7 win over lower-division Samford on Saturday. This victory provided a brief respite for coach Billy Napier after a rough season opener.
Lagway, stepping in for Graham Mertz (concussion), completed his first seven passes and demonstrated why he was the top QB recruit last year. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Texan connected on six passes of at least 30 yards, a feat the Gators (1-1) only achieved 14 times last season.
“He is what we thought he was,” Napier said.
Lagway linked up with Elijhah Badger for 77 yards, Chimere Dike for 44 yards, and Hayden Hansen for 40 yards. He also threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Tank Hawkins, a 41-yard touchdown to Aidan Mizell, and an 85-yard touchdown to Eugene Wilson III, showcasing an electrifying performance in the Swamp.
“Those are accurate, right-in-stride,” Napier said. “It’s impressive.”
Lagway set a new school record for passing yards by a freshman, surpassing Chris Leak’s record of 268 yards from 2003.
Despite the win coming against the underdog Bulldogs (0-2) — 38-point underdogs from the Football Championship Subdivision — Lagway’s performance could influence Napier’s decisions about the quarterback position moving forward.
Lagway did things that Mertz hasn’t achieved in two years since transferring from Wisconsin.
“My mindset was to take advantage of my opportunity, go out there and compete with some heck of players around me,” Lagway said.
Florida led 21-0 after Lagway’s precise pass to Hawkins in the end zone, and the margin could have been larger if freshman running back Jaden Baugh hadn’t fumbled at the goal line early in the game.
“We still need to address several issues, particularly on the defensive side,” said Samford coach Chris Hatcher.
Samford, which had given Florida a tough time in 2021, avoided a shutout with a 75-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter.
By that point, Florida fans were already chanting Lagway’s name. Now, Napier faces a choice: return to Mertz or give the frustrated fans something to cheer about after what seemed like a dismal season just a week ago.
In Week 1, then-No. 19 Miami had defeated Florida 41-17 in Gainesville, prompting many fans to call for Napier’s dismissal. Napier’s response, dismissing the criticism as “what some guy in his basement is saying in rural central Florida on social media,” only fueled the discontent.
But Lagway’s performance made it clear that he stands out.
He completed 18 of 25 passes, even after taking a couple of hard hits while scrambling. Wilson ended with six catches for 141 yards, Badger had three catches for 123 yards, and Montrell Johnson ran 15 times for 67 yards and two touchdowns.
The spotlight was on Lagway all night.
“Oh, man, I love that kid,” defensive end Tyreak Sapp said. “I knew it was going to be a great night for him just by the way he works and the way he carries himself. He acts like a starting quarterback. Honestly, I wasn’t even surprised.”
