Billy Napier expresses confidence in DJ Lagway should he need to start in Week 2

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier suffered a tough loss on the field in Week 1 against the Miami Hurricanes. That loss, unfortunately, came with an unfortunate injury to starting quarterback Graham Mertz that could impact the Gators moving forward.

At his press conference on Monday, Billy Napier expressed his confidence in backup quarterback DJ Lagway, should he be needed to start in Week 2.

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“I think we would play a brand of football that reflects his experience and his strengths. No different than we do each week,” Billy Napier said. “But I’ve got a ton of confidence in DJ.”

When Mertz went down with what was later diagnosed as a concussion against Miami, it was Lagway who came into the game. That was the first action that he saw in his college career and put together a successful drive once he got in. By the time it was all said and done, Lagway finished the day he completed three of six passes for 31 yards and an interception. He also ran for 20 yards.

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“I think we’ve had him since January,” Napier said. “He’s a completely different person and player than he was when he first arrived. So, he’s got a really good knowledge of our system. I do think coach-to-player [communication] helps a young quarterback. So, there’s an advantage there that maybe you wouldn’t have had a year ago.”

DJ Lagway came to Florida as a five-star recruit in the Class of 2024, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He was the first-ranked quarterback and the third-ranked player overall in that cycle. The hope at Florida is that Lagway can be the future. For now, though, he’s still a true freshman entering a very important stretch for the Gators.

Billy Napier also did note that there is hope Graham Mertz will be ready to go. He does, after all, have notably more experience and has played well overall during his time at Florida. Still, the team is making sure to go through the necessary steps as he recovers from a head injury.

Next week, the Florida Gators will take on the Samford Bulldogs. That’s an FCS opponent who, regardless of the quarterback, Napier and the Gators will want to be able to get back on track against.