DJ Lagway's growth has many excited about a Florida Gators breakout season
The Florida Gators continue to be one of the more intriguing teams in college football going into the 2025 season. Head coach Billy Napier's 2024 recruiting class stepped up in a major way at the end of the 2024 season. They finished their brutal end-of-the-season schedule with a 3-2 record and won the Gasparilla Bowl […]
The Florida Gators continue to be one of the more intriguing teams in college football going into the 2025 season.
Head coach Billy Napier's 2024 recruiting class stepped up in a major way at the end of the 2024 season. They finished their brutal end-of-the-season schedule with a 3-2 record and won the Gasparilla Bowl over Tulane to finish the year 8-5.
February is when we start to see preview stuff for the following season and On3 Sports' Ari Wasserman has the Gators as his top team with breakout potential, mainly due to the offense led by DJ Lagway.
In the middle of last season, it felt like Florida was going to move on from head coach Billy Napier. But the Gators brass stuck with the head coach, and Florida went on to win its final four games, which included wins over LSU and Ole Miss. It’s a good sing the team stuck with Napier when he could have lost the locker room. But the bigger thing that stands out is quarterback D.J. Lagway, who may be one of the best players in college football next season. Florida’s players developed last year as the season went on and the Gators bring in two elite-level receiver prospects in Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson to help Lagway out. Florida has a chance to finally win double-digit games and break through under a coach who has been living on the hot seat.
Lagway's performance at the end of the season was exemplary. What makes it even more impressive is how he developed.
After suffering a serious hamstring injury against the Georgia Bulldogs, Lagway barely ran the football due to the injury due to wearing a special sleeve on his injured leg. Anthony Richardson wore that as well when he suffered a similar injury.
Because he didn't run much, Lagway made significant strides in the pocket and his ability as a passer is why there is a lot of hope that he will take a massive step forward in 2025.
If the defense can continue their growth as well, the Gators can truly be a force in the SEC.