Rapid Reaction to Florida's 45-7 win over Samford
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators rebounded from their season-opening loss with a 45-7 blowout win over Samford on Saturday behind a record-setting performance from true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway. The result snapped their six-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Making his first career start for the injured Graham Mertz (concussion), Lagway had a breakout game against the Bulldogs and lived up to his five-star billing. He set the UF freshman record for passing yards in a game with 456 (ninth in school history) and three touchdowns.
The Gators also had a pair of wide receivers eclipsed 100 yards. Sophomore Eugene Wilson III recorded his first career 100-yard game with 141 yards on six catches, including his 85-yard touchdown, and senior Elijhah Badger finished with 123 yards on just three receptions, including a 77-yarder.
RELATED: Snap Judgments: DJ Lagway shines in first Florida Gators start
In the video above, Gators Online shares our rapid reaction to Florida’s win over Samford, Lagway’s starting debut and what UF does moving forward at quarterback.
Billy Napier on the Florida Gators win over Samford
“We gave them a little bit more to cheer about this week. I think the key here, and I just talked to the football team about it, that’s a good step in the right direction. We all understand the level of competition and the opponent. We have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Hatcher and Samford, but better teams and better opponents are coming.
There’s still a handful of things for us to clean up as a whole, but I thought the defense settled in, and obviously DJ Lagway had a phenomenal night. We played well around him.
We challenged the team and every position group and on special teams to kind of rally around him and raise their level of play, knowing that he was a rookie and it was his first start.
I thought we started fast. We had some energy about us early. So compliment to the players. It’s been a long week. It’s been a tough week. I do think our players got a little bit better each day. Wednesday we had a phenomenal practice, and I think the leadership was in a good place heading into the game today.”
![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)
