DJ Lagway will get first-team reps with Graham Mertz in concussion protocol
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators redshirt senior Graham Mertz remains in concussion protocol as Florida prepares for its second game of the season. Mertz sustained a concussion late in a 41-17 loss to the No. 19 Miami Hurricanes.
Billy Napier did not offer a concrete timetable for Mertz to return, saying Florida will address injuries fully on Wednesday in accordance with a new SEC mandate. He did, however, say Mertz is still “checking boxes” in protocol and that true freshman DJ Lagway will take first-team reps on Monday as Mertz works on getting back to the field.
Prior to leaving the game against Miami, Mertz had thrown for 91 yards on 11-of-20 passing with one interception. Outside of one 71-yard run by Montrell Johnson, Florida’s offense had little success moving the ball against Miami. The Gators managed just It’s the second game in a row that Mertz has left with an injury. The quarterback broke his clavicle in a 2023 road loss to the Missouri Tigers.
“It definitely hurts the pride,” Florida redshirt junior center Jake Slaughter said. “That’s something that we can control and we need to control better. We need to execute. At the end of the day, we need to be better.”
Freshman DJ Lagway would be up if Graham Mertz can’t play
The five-star true freshman hadn’t received any playing time prior to Mertz’s injury but finished the game for the Gators. Lagway completed 3-of-6 passes for 31 yards and added
“It’s also been exciting for our offensive staff because they’re a little bit different type of players,” Florida head coach Billy Napier said. “So scripting is unique and a lot of fun because you’ve kind of got a guy who’s a veteran player who has a thorough understanding of the system that maybe isn’t the same type of athlete. But, you’ve got this young up-and-comer who’s very athletic that maybe doesn’t have quite the experience.”
Napier said this offseason that Lagway needed to prepare as if he were the starter because he could be one play away. Nobody anticipated that play would happen during the first week of the season.
![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier walks during the first half at the Orange and Blue spring football game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, April 13, 2024. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://on3static.com/cdn-cgi/image/height=215,width=393,quality=90,fit=cover,gravity=0.5x0.5/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/04/18141240/Untitled-design-72-2.png)
