DJ Lagway is now seen as a messiah for the Gators fans. After the team’s tough loss to the Miami Hurricanes in Week 1, it seemed like their playoff hopes were dashed. But then Lagway stepped in and led the Gators to a huge 45-7 win over Samford.

He came in as a backup for QB1 Graham Mertz, who suffered a concussion in the season opener. With Mertz’s status still uncertain for the next game, fans are hoping Lagway will be the starter in their Week 2, too.

Even CFB experts from On3, Ari Wasserman and Andy Staples, weighed in on the situation. Staples confidently stated, “I do not think there’s a choice here,” adding, “DJ Lagway gives the best chance to win because he can do things that Graham Mertz cannot. And because that offensive line, against Texas A&M’s defensive line, especially we don’t know how they going to hold up.”

Graham Mertz struggled against Miami, completing only 11 of his 20 passes and leading his team to a crushing 17-41 loss. So Staples questioned, “Who do you think gives a better chance of keeping the play alive? Graham Mertz or DJ Lagway?” And Ari Wasserman was quick to back Lagway, saying, “The kid has it.”

Well, Lagway’s debut was quite impressive to say so. He completed 18 of 25 passes for 456 yards against Samford. Even though it was an easier opponent, his raw talent was clear. Now, Billy Napier is encouraged to give Lagway a chance again as their starting signal caller, and it looks like he might just have to do that.

Is it DJ Lagway or Graham Mertz?

Billy Napier is under pressure this season, especially after a rough start with Graham Mertz. The past two seasons have been tough for Napier, with records of 6-7 and 5-7. And Gators fans are eager to see their team make it at least to the playoffs this year, and DJ Lagway might be the key to turning things around. 

The five-star QB made a splash in his debut, scoring three touchdowns and showing he could be a hope for the Gators. Even Napier was quick to praise Lagway after the big win, saying, “We knew him before he exploded.” However, he didn’t confirm if Lagway would replace Mertz as the starting QB. Napier only said, “He brings a different element to our team. There’s no question he’ll be a part of every plan going forward.”

Well, making a roster change right after the season opener is a tough call for any coach. But if Napier doesn’t make this move, he might miss out on some important wins down the road. For now, Napier has cleared Mertz to practice but hasn’t decided if he’ll be ready to face Texas A&M next week. Meanwhile, Lagway is already getting some loud cheers from Gators fans.