Florida Gators QB DJ Lagway, WR Elijhah Badger cleared for LSU
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators had four offensive starters listed as questionable on their initial injury report for the LSU game, but two of them were cleared Thursday. And they’re big names: quarterback DJ Lagway and receiver Elijhah Badger.
UF coach Billy Napier revealed that Lagway and Badger will be back against LSU on his weekly radio show Thursday night. Both players are no longer listed on Florida’s availability report after missing their first game of the season against Texas.
Their return this week gives a boost to a Gators team that is already down eight starters, including quarterback Graham Mertz and wide receivers Eugene Wilson III and Kahleil Jackson.
Lagway took over at Tennessee after Mertz’s injury and started against Kentucky and Georgia. He left the UGA game with a hamstring injury that sidelined him at Texas, his home state.
Napier described Lagway’s status as day-to-day on Monday.
“He’s been able to practice,” Napier on Wednesday night. “Obviously he’s modified a little bit, but he’s making progress every day. He is getting closer and closer to being prepared to play. So, I do think we are creating a game-day environment in terms of the treatment and modifications we’re using.
“Just to make sure he’s comfortable with that. So he did work (Wednesday), and obviously I think he made progress – he’s felt better today than he felt yesterday. We’re hopeful that’ll be the case (Thursday).”
It was. Through eight games and three starts, Lagway has completed 60.9% of his pass attempts (56 of 92) for 1,071 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions. He has rushed for 166 yards on 31 carries (5.35 YPC), excluding his six sacks.
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Badger ranks No. 2 nationally in yards per catch (23.33) and leads the Gators with 560 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 24 catches. He’s had two 100-yard receiving games this year, including a career-high 148 yards against Kentucky.
“I think Badger is an easy guy to like, you know. If I’m playing quarterback, I think I would try to connect with him, too,” Napier said. “Badger has improved. His game has really taken another step. I think the detail in his route running has improved.
“Receiver is a skill game. The release part of the game, the top of the route separation, the hand selection, and then obviously the coverage, there is a football IQ element there. But I think Coach G has done a good job with him. He’s a very durable, consistent player, so he’s got some play strength.”
Florida starting running back Montrell Johnson Jr. and starting right guard Damieon George Jr. are still questionable for the LSU game.
LSU’s availability report did not change on Thursday night.
Florida Gators injury report
| Player | Position | Status |
| Montrell Johnson Jr. | RB | Questionable |
| Damieon George Jr. | OL | Questionable |
| Graham Mertz | QB | Out |
| Treyaun Webb | RB | Out |
| Eugene Wilson III | WR | Out |
| Kahleil Jackson | WR | Out |
| Grayson Howard | LB | Out |
| Jason Marshall Jr. | DB | Out |
| Devin Moore | DB | Out |
| Asa Turner | DB | Out |
| Ja’Keem Jackson | DB | Out |
| Devon Manuel | OL | Out |
| Jamari Lyons | DL | Out |
LSU Tigers injury report
| Player | Position | Status |
| CJ Daniels | WR | Probable |
| Dashawn Spears | DB | Probable |
| West Weeks | LB | Probable |
| Tyree Adams | OL | Questionable |
| Jordan Allen | S | Out |
| Harold Perkins Jr. | LB | Out |
| Kyle Parker | WR | Out |
| John Emery Jr. | RB | Out |
| Princeton Malbrue | DE | Out |
| Garrett Dellinger | OL | Out |
| Jacobian Guillory | DT | Out |
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