That Florida sun is really shining brightly over the Swamp right now. The Gators’ basketball program has dominated all season and is ready to take that momentum into March Madness. Florida is one of the favorites to win the tournament outright. But away from the hardwood and onto the gridiron, things aren’t transpiring as positively. Spring practice is tell and truly underway down in Gainesville. A third of the sessions down, players are getting crucial reps in before what’s going to be another treacherous season traversing the SEC and its gauntlet schedule. However, the Gators’ most important player isn’t quite getting the requisite utilization of this time. Teams go as far as their quarterbacks take them. As cliche as it sounds, it perpetually rings true. Unfortunately for Billy Napier’s Gators, their QB1 DJ Lagway is pulling onto the handbrake. 

Lagway’s introduction into the starting role last season was akin to a messiah descending over Gainesville. HC Billy Napier seemed to be running out of ideas and time. Then, a tryst with fate meant true freshman DJ Lagway got fast-tracked into the team. If this was the final roll of the dice, boy, did it land on 6. Lagway changed the perception around the team as well as the results. Florida finished the season 8-5. A more than respectable record when you contextualize how poorly they started and the strength of their schedule. That said, Lagway’s time wasn’t exactly seamless. Sporadic injuries stunted him and, by extension, Florida. As he now enters his sophomore year, those issues have continued to trail him. Lagway is currently contending with injuries, the nature of which remains undisclosed. One Florida insider has leveraged some timely information on the matter.

Spring practice is an opportunity for the quarterback to build chemistry with his weapons and general supporting cast. Albeit it’s just 15 practices, that’s more than enough time to lay a skeletal framework of how the offense will run. 5 practices in, DJ Lagway is yet to throw a single pass. He’s involved in practice, mind you. Going through his pre and post-snap motions, his dropbacks, and displaying overall mobility. But only from the waist down. Fall is still a long way away. That said, these injuries are becoming a bit of a recurring theme. Something that’s spawned concern within the fanbase. Zach Goodall of 247Sports shed light on affairs over the organization’s namesake YouTube channel. Safe to say he’s not overly optimistic himself. “I’m sorry for giving you guys a scare. But don’t shoot the messenger!” he said to preface his comment.

“We’re through four practices that the media has gotten to see of the five that have been held so far. DJ Lagway has not thrown a pass in front of us. He’s simulated his footwork…doing handoffs and some other light work. But they’re not letting him show off his arm. The arm that has gotten him so much hype going into this season and obviously last year,” said Goodall. He pointed to how Napier, who’s also the offensive play-caller, and Lagway have been getting around this issue. “Lagway has been calling in plays to the quarterbacks, who have been taking his reps and team drills,” Goodall also said. “At this point, he’s unavailable in spring camp for all intents and purposes.” He even addressed the elephant in the room- what exactly are these undisclosed injuries?

“What these injuries are? Kind of still figuring that part out, too. Billy Napier said both of these injuries occurred in the postseason. That this is not ‘unnormal’ to quote him. But we really don’t know what they are or how serious they are.” remarked Zach Goodall. Having a mystique around your QB is a good thing, but not this sort of mystique. Whether those inside the building know what the injuries are and prefer not to let them out, or if the true nature of them hasn’t even been diagnosed, is also inconspicuous at this juncture. Goodall proceeded to refrain from putting a timeline on when we shall see DJ Lagway air that pigskin next. Alas, it’s not all doom and gloom, though. Napier and co. have received a welcome shot to the arm over on the recruitment front. A 4-star prospect is potentially joining the ranks.

DJ Lagway’s injury worries run concurrently with some good news for Billy Napier

All head coaches want to build their team to project their own philosophy. As an offensive-minded guy, Napier is naturally more inclined to focus on that side of the football. In his 3 years at Florida, he’s been the primary play-caller. Deferring to a designated offensive coordinator to keep a more balanced outlook on both sides of his team is something that may have actually helped results. There is a rationale for this sentiment.  To add to concerns around a blindspot on defense, Florida lost their safeties’ coach, Will Harris, to in-state rivals Miami. Harris was a big coup for them, and a replacement was requisite. In comes Deron Wilson. 

The former Gators’ coach returns home after a 2-year stint with Arkansas. He previously worked in Florida as a quality control analyst. Now, Wilson needs to build a strong secondary. One that can complement Napier and DJ Lagway’s side of the football. Help may be on its way in the form of safety Jamarrion Gordon. The Jackson, Alabama native from the class of ‘26 has just condensed his potential landing spots to 4 schools. Florida has made the exclusive club alongside FSU, UNC, and Ole Miss. 

Jamarrion Gordon has already taken a visit to the Swamp and is due for an OV on June 6. It remains to be seen whether Napier and Wilson can bring this home. But that’s still further down the pipeline. For now, the priority remains the health of DJ Lagway. Getting him back to full fitness and regularity post-spring break is something Zach Goodall reckons will be a faint benchmark.