DJ Lagway, heading into his second year with the Gators, is carrying a huge load on his shoulders. No, we aren’t talking about the injury he’s bearing on his shoulder, but also the real responsibility of taking the Gators to a serious redemption in coach Billy Napier‘s sensitive fourth year. The red shirt freshman turned heads last year, racking up 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. The humiliation of the early big game losses, including that 41-17 blow from Miami, finally found some solace as Lagway stepped up and earned a four-game win streak glory, finishing on a decent 8-5. But in year 2, he will have to push his limits; no other gateway left for Coach Napier to defend his job.

So, what’s the benchmark for Lagway? It’s lopsided, as the defense isn’t rolling that smooth. They have been largely inconsistent in the passing game through the big games, especially giving up when it mattered. They have faced questions over the ability to force turnovers and create pressure on the opposing QBs, but that remained unanswered. However, On3’s J.D. PicKell doesn’t care. He believes the defense will have a minimal role in their 2025 redemption. All he has is a big ultimatum for Lagway.

“My approach is defense, be good enough. Take the football away, which we’ll get to more in a second. And then DJ Lagway, you go win us games. Defense just doesn’t lose us games. We play Texas. You’re probably not going to shut them out. They hung north of 40 on you a year ago. I understand DJ Lagway didn’t play in that game. Can you hold them to 24?” PicKell sets a clear goal for Lagway in his sophomore year for the significant Longhorns game.

Well, it’s not just on DJ Lagway alone. The real underdog of the Florida offense is their receiver corps. Their 2025 lineup has the case for a best unit on the Gators’ roster. They have the standout guys who proved their worth in contested catches. Let’s say the UCLA transfer, J Michael Sturdivant, and freshman Dallas Wilson. According to Napier, Sturdivant made a huge stride in the Gators’ offseason conditioning program, reaching as high as 23 mph in sprint drills, and he’s kept getting stronger and faster.

So, PicKell isn’t wrong to demand a season out of the productive offensive squad. “Can we do that? Can we give DJ Lagway a chance?  J Michael Sturdivant, Dallas Wilson, Jadan Baugh, can we give our offense a chance to then go win the game for us? The analyst put the other side of the ball on a watchdog role, “Defense, you’re kind of the safety break of this whole thing. I don’t expect you to be the gas or the engine and get us to where we ultimately want to get to.”

The plan seems to sit well in all senses. Florida really has to lean on their receivers and DJ Lagway formula to make a near-championship or at least a playoff case. But there are more growing pains. DJ Lagway’s success rate comes with major terms and conditions.

DJ Lagway’s health seems to be a major question mark for Florida

Lagway has all the ingredients to make a success recipe in Florida. He can very well come and capitalize on last year’s momentum to make a bigger leap. This time, he can be more ruthless with the defenders. It’s not just about the scoreboard.

The way Lagway tests the last bit of patience in an elite defender and delivers his passes with top-tier speed and on-point balance is commendable. He rightfully garners the early Heisman hype from all across the nation. So, if the question is, can he do the undone? The answer is yes; he can. But the real question is, will he do that? The answer hinges only and only on his health.

If Lagway takes an eternity to return full-fledged healthy from his rehab, Billy Napier and the team might have a hard time brewing. “I think DJ Lagway should be healthy, which has been a hot topic around this office. Should he be healthy? I think Florida is one of those top 15 teams in college football. I really do.” PicKell kept fingers crossed.

In reality, Lagway started throwing the balls, but his movement is largely limited. We will see when Lagway wipes out all the doubts, entering the second season with a banger on his shoulder, lifting off the weight of a past wound.