No player is more crucial to Billy Napier’s future at Florida than quarterback DJ Lagway.
The talented freshman will have a chance to save Napier’s job in November as he faces four ranked teams, starting Saturday against No. 2 Georgia in nearby Jacksonville. If Lagway performs like he did in his last two starts, the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” could turn into a celebration for Napier.
Lagway and the Gators (4-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) are looking to end a three-game losing streak in this series and give Napier a much-needed win against a ranked team and a rival.
Napier is 2-12 against ranked teams in three seasons and 1-9 against rivals like Georgia, Florida State, LSU, Miami, and Tennessee.
Napier’s time in Gainesville seemed to be ending after heavy losses to Miami and Texas A&M in the first month of the season. However, three wins in his last four games and signs of improvement on both offense and defense have given Napier a chance to change his situation.
Even though betting odds list Florida as a 16.5-point underdog against Georgia, Lagway gives the Gators more than just a slim chance to beat the Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1). He has been impressive in his limited time on the field.
“He’s a really special player,” said teammate and receiver Chimere Dike. “I’m excited to continue to see him grow and take steps each and every single week.”
Lagway has completed 63% of his passes for 1,024 yards, with five touchdowns and five interceptions. But his stats in two starts are truly impressive: 715 passing yards, including 10 completions of 40 yards or more.
And he’s not just making short throws that turn into big gains. He’s accurately throwing deep down the field and hitting receivers in stride. He looks like a perfect fit for Napier’s read-option offense that aims for deep shots.
“In a perfect world, we would have a guy that’s a capable runner, a guy that is a factor in the read elements and then also obviously the ability to push it down the field,” Napier said. “DJ, we were very fortunate to find him early in the (recruiting) process and have been blessed with the opportunity to coach the guy.
“More importantly is just the makeup of the kid just from a character perspective, the humility and the work ethic.”
Lagway is getting a chance to play after Graham Mertz suffered a season-ending knee injury. Lagway was impressive against Kentucky, completing 7 of 14 passes for 259 yards.
He had similar success with long passes against Samford in September, throwing for 456 yards and three touchdowns. He connected on five passes of at least 40 yards in each game.
“He’s a tremendous talent,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “His arm talent and arm strength are elite. He has great size. He can make all the throws. He’s (made) a couple really wild throws. I think for his age and experience, he’s ahead of his time in terms of his pocket movement management.
“A lot of freshmen abort the pocket and run out of it. He does a good job stepping up through it, and he’s made several plays where he trusted the pocket and steps up and makes really good throws.”
The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Lagway can run, too, even though he has gained just 96 yards on the ground. “When they need it, he can do it,” Smart said. “And he’s large. I mean, he’s big. He’s hard to tackle.”
He’ll face a tough challenge against Georgia, which is ranked 19th in the country for total defense. And that’s just the beginning. Florida will play at No. 6 Texas the following week, then host No. 16 LSU and 19th-ranked Ole Miss to finish a four-week stretch against ranked teams.
Napier could greatly improve his approval rating by winning two or more of these games. Even winning just one, especially if Lagway keeps playing well, would make the Gators think twice about making a coaching change that could lead to losing a quarterback considered to be the best talent to join the team in over a decade.
“For me, it’s the poise to be able to be 19 (years old) and be able to play like (he did in) the Tennessee game,” Dike said. “Stepped up in those moments. I think it just shows the kind of competitor he is.”
