Despite leading the Florida Gators to a dominant 55-0 victory over Long Island University on Saturday night, quarterback DJ Lagway left the field with mixed emotions about his performance.
DOMINANT DEBUT: Gators DEMOLISH Long Island 55-0 | Lagway, offense with room for improvement
“It felt great to be back out there. I feel like definitely wasn’t what I expected… I definitely could play better,” Lagway reflected after the game. “Just as a group I feel like it was very sloppy. I feel like we weren’t playing our brand of football.”
The sophomore quarterback, who had been sidelined due to injury during the offseason, showed resilience in his return to action. After a self-described “slow” start in the first half, Lagway found his rhythm in the second quarter, connecting for three touchdown passes.
“I definitely think it got more comfortable for me as the game went on,” Lagway said. “I know I need to play better than that and I’m going to play better than that.”
Head coach Billy Napier acknowledged the adjustment period, noting that LIU’s defensive scheme presented unexpected challenges early in the game. “Long Island did a great job. Showed up with a new scheme… caused some issues for us,” Napier explained.
Despite the self-criticism, the numbers tell a compelling story of success. Lagway completed an impressive 15 of 18 passes for 120 yards, posting a 194.3 quarterback rating — the second-highest of his career and fourth-best by any Florida quarterback during Napier’s tenure.
The victory continues Lagway’s remarkable impact on the program’s success. When he starts, Florida boasts a 7-1 record while outscoring opponents by more than three-to-one (35.4 PPG vs 11.0 PPG). Even more impressive, the Gators remain undefeated at 4-0 when Lagway and running back Jadan Baugh start together in the backfield.
For Lagway, the game represented not just a return to competition but the culmination of months of rehabilitation and mechanical adjustments. During his recovery, he focused on improving his arm health and refining his throwing motion.
“It was a lot of things just to help with my general arm health… like shortening up my stroke a little bit,” he explained. “I feel like it’s an ongoing quest. You can never just perfect a mechanic or whatever you want to do.”
With the first game behind him, Lagway is already looking ahead. “I’m just excited to get out there for next week and compete and have fun again,”he said, embodying the forward-thinking mentality that has Florida fans optimistic about the season ahead.
As Coach Napier put it, “He’ll get in his rhythm. He’ll continue to get better.”If Saturday’s performance was Lagway still shaking off the rust, opponents might have reason to worry about what comes next.
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