Another Saturday and another heartbreak in Gainesville. Despite having a strong roster, the Gators struggled to find their rhythm — and that’s why they fell again, this time to Texas A&M in a game they should’ve owned. And now, they stand at 2-4, owing to Billy Napier’s play-calling. That’s why Florida insider Jesse Simmons wrote, “Even in the Gator family section there’s questions of the play calling. Just mind boggling every play……” Now, while Napier’s “wait until I get my guys” era is running out of excuses, the Florida HC made a big admission.

After a 34-17 loss to Texas A&M, Billy Napier couldn’t stay silent in the postgame press conference. And he called out the mistakes that cost his team. “We were inefficient on first and second down,” stated Napier. “We weren’t able to run it effectively, and then when we did throw it, we didn’t protect.” Now, while the issues were clear, the impact of this bad play on Lagway was undeniable. Although Florida came out firing, scoring TDs on their 1st and 3rd drives, they piled up 157 yards in the first quarter alone. But that early spark didn’t last.

DJ Lagway was on point, keeping the offense moving. But the Gators gained only 158 yards on 61 plays over their next 3 quarters. So what started as a fast-paced attack turned into a slog. Now it’s clear that Billy Napier’s offensive game plan is holding Florida back. And Tyler Forness summed it up perfectly, writing, “Florida Gators offense under Billy Napier vs. Texas A&M, 1st quarter: 14 points, 9.24 yards/play; Rest of game: 3 points, 2.59 yards/play.” However, early deep passes to Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson offered hope.

But Napier kept running the same concepts, relying on talent to make plays. That’s why the plays were predictable. So defenses saw it coming and pressured DJ Lagway into tough decisions. But what’s even worse?

Billy Napier’s game management, as Neil W. Blackmon called it: “Absolute malpractice from Billy Napier.” According to him, fourth-down decisions feel hesitant. And there was no creative misdirection to help OL like Austin Barber handle pressure. Although coaches like Eli Drinkwitz and Ryan Day have handed off play-calling, Napier didn’t follow suit. So, that rigidity is costing Florida games. And now, DJ Lagway expresses his frustration with the squad.

Billy Napier’s star QB’s thoughts

DJ Lagway played well against the Longhorns. And following that, he earned a spot on the Davey O’Brien Award Great Eight list. Further, he got an honorable mention from the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award because against Texas, he threw 21 completions on 28 attempts for 298 yards. Along with that, he scored two TDs. But against Texas A&M, the shine faded.

Although early heroics from Lagway and Wilson kept Florida competitive, once the Aggies adjusted, Napier’s predictable play-calling took over. And the Gators struggled to maintain rhythm. So when LB Myles Graham said, “We’re close, but close ain’t good enough,” Lagway responded candidly: “It’s not about the teams that were playing. We’re beating ourselves.” And he’s not wrong, because Napier plays a huge role in the collapse.

The first half wound down near midfield, but Florida wasted 35 crucial seconds without even attempting a serious score. Following that, a forced timeout and a sack exposed the Gators’ weakness. Although Lagway delivered when he could, the total O-line failed to respond actively. And now, after a 2-4 season start, only fire and frustration are buzzing around Florida.