In a surprising turn of events early in the season, star freshman quarterback DJ Lagway stepped in for the injured Graham Mertz during Florida’s game against Samford. Lagway’s impressive performance in the victory has presented head coach Billy Napier with a potential quarterback dilemma.
LISTEN or WATCH | FLORIDA 45 SAMFORD 7 REACTION: DJ Lagway shines in first start
Following the game, Napier addressed inquiries about the possibility of starting Lagway over Mertz, characterizing the situation as hypothetical.
“That’s a hypothetical question,” Billy Napier said. “We’re going to enjoy this game tonight. We’re going to go back and watch the tape. We’ve got a good young quarterback, and we have an incredible veteran quarterback as well. So it’s a good thing for our current team and the future of the program to some degree.”
Graham Mertz, who transferred to Florida from Wisconsin prior to the 2023 season, has been the team’s starting quarterback since his arrival. In his inaugural full season with the Gators, Mertz demonstrated his prowess by completing 72.9 percent of his passes for 2,903 yards and 20 touchdowns. However, his performance faltered in Week 1, culminating in a concussion that sidelined him.
DJ Lagway, a highly touted five-star recruit, has generated considerable excitement for Florida’s future. Despite the limited sample size, Lagway showcased his potential against Samford, amassing an impressive 456 yards and three touchdowns in the 45-7 victory. His remarkable passing yardage not only shattered Chris Leak’s 2003 record for a Florida true freshman quarterback but also stands as the highest in the FBS this season.
“I just think it proves what we thought in the beginning. This guy was a Gatorade National Player of the Year. He’s one of the best players in the entire country, and he had the opportunity to play the entire game today, and he is who we thought he was,” Napier said.
When questioned about the possibility of Mertz permanently losing his starting position due to injury, Napier seized the opportunity to commend Lagway and reveal the team’s intention to incorporate him into future game plans.
“We’re going to stay the course, and much like we described in the beginning, we’ll have a plan for DJ every week going forward.”
As the Gators prepare to enter SEC play, beginning with a matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies next week, the level of competition is set to intensify significantly. Regardless of who takes the helm at quarterback, Florida will need to be fully prepared for the challenges ahead.
“There’s no doubt the level of competition that we’re getting ready to face over the next couple of weeks will be completely different,” states Napier. “They understand that. We understand that. Ultimately we’ve got to have a good week of prep. We’ve got a chance to be in The Swamp next week again at 3:30.”
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