Freshman QB DJ Lagway holds the key to embattled coach Billy Napier's future at Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- No subordinate is much important to Billy Napier’s early astatine Florida than backmost DJ Lagway.

The fabulous freshman will get a chance to prevention Napier’s occupation successful November while facing 4 classed teams, opening Saturday against No. 2 Georgia successful adjacent Jacksonville. If Lagway plays for illustration he did successful his 2 erstwhile starts, nan “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” could move into a invited backmost ceremony for Napier.

Lagway and nan Gators (4-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) are trying to extremity a three-game skid successful nan bid and springiness Napier a much-needed triumph against a classed squad and a rival. Napier is 2-12 against classed opponents successful 3 seasons and 1-9 against rivals Georgia, Florida State, LSU, Miami and Tennessee.

Napier's tenure successful Gainesville felt complete aft lopsided losses to Miami and Texas A&M successful nan first period of nan season. But 3 wins successful his past 4 games and signs of advancement connected some sides of nan shot person fixed Napier a chance to change his fate.

Although oddsmakers installed Florida arsenic a 16 1/2-point underdog against Georgia, Lagway provides nan Gators pinch much than a puncher’s chance to sound disconnected nan Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1). He’s been conscionable that bully successful constricted work.

“He’s a really typical player,” teammate and receiver Chimere Dike said. “I’m excited to proceed to spot him turn and return steps each and each azygous week.”

Lagway has completed 63% of his passes for 1,024 yards, pinch 5 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. But his numbers successful 2 starts are downright eye-popping: 715 yards passing, including 10 completions of 40 yards aliases longer.

And it’s not dinks and dunks that move into large gains. It’s dropping balls into buckets down nan section and hitting receivers successful stride. He looks for illustration nan perfect fresh for Napier’s read-option discourtesy that takes shots deep.

“In a cleanable world, we would person a feline that’s a tin runner, a feline that is simply a facet successful nan publication elements and past besides evidently nan expertise to push it down nan field,” Napier said. “DJ, we were very fortunate to find him early successful nan (recruiting) process and person been blessed pinch nan opportunity to coach nan guy.

“More importantly is conscionable nan constitution of nan kid conscionable from a characteristic perspective, nan humility and nan activity ethic.”

Lagway is getting an opportunity pursuing Graham Mertz’s season-ending knee injury. Lagway was move against Kentucky, completing 7 of 14 passes for 259 yards. He had akin long-ball occurrence against Samford successful September, throwing for 456 yards and 3 scores. He connected connected 5 passes of astatine slightest 40 yards successful each game.

“He's a tremendous talent,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “His limb talent and limb spot are elite. He has awesome size. He tin make each nan throws. He’s (made) a mates really chaotic throws. I deliberation for his property and experience, he’s up of his clip successful position of his pouch activity management.

“A batch of freshmen abort nan pouch and tally retired of it. He does a bully occupation stepping up done it, and he’s made respective plays wherever he trusted nan pouch and steps up and makes really bully throws.”

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Lagway has nan expertise to run, too, contempt gaining conscionable 96 yards connected nan ground.

“When they request it, he tin do it,” Smart said. “And he’s large. I mean, he’s big. He’s difficult to tackle.”

He’ll get tested for illustration ne'er earlier against Georgia, which ranks 19th successful nan state successful full defense. And that’s conscionable nan start. Florida plays astatine No. 6 Texas nan pursuing week and past hosts No. 16 LSU and 19th-ranked Ole Miss to headdress a four-week agelong against classed teams.

Napier could importantly change his support standing by winning 2 aliases much of those. Even winning one, particularly if Lagway continues to play well, would springiness nan Gators region astir making a coaching alteration that would consequence losing a QB wide considered to beryllium nan champion talent to measurement connected field successful much than a decade.

“For me, it’s nan poise to beryllium capable to beryllium 19 (years old) and beryllium capable to play for illustration (he did in) nan Tennessee game,” Dike said. “Stepped up successful those moments. I deliberation it conscionable shows nan benignant of competitor he is."

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