Florida Gators disastrous loss vs. Kentucky could have major ramifications for DJ Lagway and the new head coach
Things couldn’t be much worse than they are in Gainesville.
The Florida Gators are officially in crisis mode.
Interim head coach Billy Gonzales had this team ready to roll when they took on the Georgia Bulldogs, including holding a 20-17 lead midway into the fourth quarter, but ended up losing the game 24-20.
Saturday, when they faced the Kentucky Wildcats, was a chance to get one step closer to making a bowl game, and salvaging a lost season where they ended up firing head coach Billy Napier. Things did not go according to plan, as Mark Stoops’ team ran the Gators off the field by a score of 38-7.
DJ Lagway’s benching could shift the future of the program
It wasn’t just that the Gators lost the game; they were a disaster in the first half. Quarterback DJ Lagway was the main reason why, as he went 11-19 for 83 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. The offense had four turnovers with him under center, including two of them in the final seven plays of the quarter that saw four total turnovers.
The half was so bad that the Gators needed to do something to try and get a spark, and Gonzales did what Napier was unwilling to do: he benched Lagway in favor of true freshman Tramell Jones Jr.
It isn’t much of a surprise to see why Lagway got benched. He was brutal, and he has been for the majority of the season after not practicing nearly all offseason, dealing with multiple injuries.
Things didn’t get better with Jones under center either, as he threw for just 60 yards on 9-17 passing. The Gators had just 247 yards of total offense on the day, and it was just as bas as the number suggests.
Where do the Gators go from here? Is Lagway going to be the starter next week against Ole Miss? Is this the end of the Lagway era in Gainesville? With a new head coach coming in, and the massive amount of NIL committed to Lagway, it’s not out of the question that Lagway and the Gators could part ways.
Plus, there is always the element of a new head coach. He may want to go into the transfer portal to get the next quarterback of the Gators. If that head coach is Lane Kiffin, we’ve seen him do a great job of identifying quarterbacks in the transfer portal, including this year’s starting quarterback, Trinidad Chambliss, from D-II Ferris State.
It’s a really tough situation for the Gators, and things could spiral significantly if they don’t get on top of things this week.
College Football
CFB insider name drops USC’s Lincoln Riley as name to watch in head coach openings… but to who?
USC HC Lincoln Riley appears to be someone to watch during this head coaching hiring cycle.
Florida Gators News
Florida Gators get brutal news that will impact this season, but it could be a major boost long-term for the program
There is a potential bright side to some brutal news for the offense.
