Saturday’s loss to LSU was anything but just another defeat for the Florida Gators. The result dropped their record to 1-2, and to make matters worse, the Miami Hurricanes loom next on the schedule. Billy Napier never seemed to find a rhythm during the game, and DJ Lagway, his primary offensive weapon, had a night to forget.
The criticism surrounding the starting quarterback’s performance didn’t start last night. In fact, following last week’s narrow loss to USF, there was already plenty of talk about what DJ Lagway brought—or failed to bring—to the field.
Because of this, Napier felt compelled to address the situation surrounding his starting signal-caller, as many had begun to question the QB’s future with the program. However, in an effort to cool things down, the head coach confirmed that he remains the top option to lead the team.
“DJ’s our quarterback. He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He made some tough, you know, made good decisions tonight, but he also made some bad decisions tonight, so, yeah. And, you’re talking about a guy who, you know, he’s a rookie himself.”
“We’ve got to continue to work through progressions,” he also added. “That was probably the primary deal. We’ve got to continue to work our way through the progression and get to the next receiver.”
see also
The 30 highest-paid college football head coaches: Who’s earning the most?
Pride despite the final score
There’s no doubt the final result left the Gators far from satisfied. However, head coach Billy Napier made sure to highlight and appreciate the effort his players showed throughout the game.
“We got a takeaway late. I thought we did a nice job in the kicking game keeping control of their returners,” the HC said. “We’re a few turnovers away and a few holding penalties away from keeping momentum. In general, I’m proud of the team and the mindset they brought here tonight.“
A tough road ahead
The outlook doesn’t look promising for the Gators heading into the coming weeks. Not only will the team need to drastically improve across all units, but the schedule itself has become their biggest enemy—a daunting challenge for Billy Napier’s squad.
- @ Miami, September 20
- vs Texas, October 4
- @ Texas A&M, October 11
- vs Mississippi State, October 18
- @ Georgia, November 1
SurveyShould DJ Lagway remain QB1 for the Gators?
Should DJ Lagway remain QB1 for the Gators?
already voted 0 people
