DJ Lagway was last season’s Florida Gators’ golden boy under Billy Napier. But with Napier gone, the Florida Gators’ QB picture is in flux. Interim head coach Billy Gonzales isn’t ready to hand Lagway the keys, especially after ejecting the starter against Kentucky. So why is Lagway still cooling his heels on the bench? Gonzales had his answers ready.

That’s not how Gators fans expected Lagway’s fate to turn out. It’s the same quarterback who was a five-star prospect and the No. 1 quarterback from the 2024 class. But Gonzales just does not want to dwell on the past. Against Kentucky, he benched Lagway to start the second half, already bogged down by three first-half interceptions. “We had a rough first half, and I thought it might be good for him just to gather and look at it from a coach’s point from the sideline,” Gonzales said.

He benched Lagway for Tramell Jones, as the Gators searched for a spark. By the time the change was made, the stadium was already buzzing with frustration, as chants rose for a quarterback swap. After a putrid opening half, with Kentucky’s pass rush exploiting every obvious passing down, Gonzales came up with the harsh call for Lagway as Florida was staring at a 31–7 deficit. And the effects are already reflected in the quarterback’s score sheet.

Within this limited time, the quarterback threw for 83 yards on 11-of-19 passing in the first half, but three interceptions erased much of the good, flipping his season TD-to-INT ratio to 11-to-12. In case Lagway hopes that the flashes of brilliance he showed would be enough to get a green signal, that’s not going to happen. Gonzales and staff will now dissect his footage play by play.

“We’ll take a look at the film and obviously we think he’s a very talented young man but we’ll take a look at everything and move forward once we get back home,” shared the interim head coach. Now, what makes Gonzales over-critical about Lagway?

The loss against Kentucky has indeed been difficult for the Gators squad to digest. Florida hadn’t been beaten this badly by Kentucky since 1950, the year Bear Bryant’s Wildcats steamrolled the Gators 40-7. Lagway’s chances of a comeback before the Ole Miss runs are slimmer because of Jones. 

In the second-half burst against Long Island, Lagway’s backup lit up the Long Island defense with 12-of-18 passing for 131 yards and two touchdowns. It was time for some SEC action against Kentucky, and he went 9-of-17 for 60 yards with one sack. Lagway might not be under center right now, but he’s never been one to pass on owning up.

DJ Lagway took the blame on his shoulders after the Georgia blunder

In the fourth quarter showdown with Georgia, Lagway found J. Michael Sturdivant late in the fourth near the 20-yard line, and the receiver ran backward to make a jaw-dropping catch just before the ball hit the turf. But the refs ruled it incomplete, turning what could have been a game-changing 21-yard gain into a pivotal missed opportunity. But Lagway did not place the blame on Sturdivant’s plate.

He owned up to his mistake. “Yeah, he kind of came up, and he was like the fourth progression on that. I was still going through my progression. I was out of the pocket. And then probably when I kind of popped up and looked up, I see him. I was already on my left foot. I just tried to get him out, get it out to him. And I should have put a little more on it, but we’ll go,” said Lagway. Now that Gonzales treads with extra caution about returning Lagway, he is not at fault here.

That’s because Napier never provided DJ Lagway the coaching or support to hit his ceiling. Lagway’s 2024 season was riddled with setbacks: a hamstring injury against Georgia, a spring shoulder issue that kept him off the field, sports hernia surgery, and a strained left calf in July that landed him in a boot. Florida had already waved goodbye to longtime QB mentor JP Tilman by the time Lagway returned. On the bench, he’s likely feeling that loss more than ever.