A busy week in the world of Florida Gators football comes to a head Saturday afternoon as the program meets the No. 5 Texas Longhorns in Austin, Texas, for the first time in more than 80 years. While it has not been an overly successful season for Florida, recent play gave Gators fans hope that their team might be able to pull off a couple upsets down the stretch of the season.
That hope faded quickly last week when freshman quarterback DJ Lagway suffered a hamstring injury late in the second quarter against No. 2 Georgia. Lagway got carted off the field and never returned to the game leaving many to assume he would be lost for the remainder of the season.
Head coach Billy Napier insisted earlier this week that a Sunday MRI determined Lagway’s injury was “less significant” than originally believed, further stating that he had at least a chance of being cleared to play Texas in his home state. The signal caller was diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, according to multiple reports, an injury that normally takes 2-6 weeks to heal depending on rehabilitation.
As such, Only Gators learned earlier this week that Lagway was not expected to play against the Longhorns. This despite Napier claiming Wednesday that Lagway practiced in a “very controlled environment” with Florida officially listing him as “questionable” for the game.
“He’s trying. He’s a competitor. He’s going back to his home state. He wants to try to find a pathway to make this work,” Napier explained. “Obviously, it’s touch and go. Look, the guy is giving it his best shot. We’ll see where we’re at end of the week. There’s no secrets anymore, so you’ll have a good idea where we’re at as we approach kickoff.”
Lagway will likely remain questionable on Friday’s injury report and be listed as a game-time decision Saturday. Still, nothing has changed about internal expectations, which are that redshirt freshman Aidan Warner will start behind center for the Gators.
“We’re going to exhaust every resource we have. … [Our staff] is really a competitive advantage for our players,” Napier said Monday. “… The sports science piece is a huge element in that regard because we have metrics that can give the player confidence and allow us to make objective decisions at the same time.”
Lagway and redshirt senior Graham Mertz (torn ACL) both spent parts of the week coaching up Warner, who has completed 9 of 25 passes for 96 yards and an interception this season. Napier attributed their willingness to help him to team culture.
The walk-on transfer from Yale practiced with the first team this week after only having two full practices with the second team earlier this season.
“He’s gotten a little better each day. Today was his best day,” Napier said Wednesday. “He’s gotten a little more comfortable. He’s obviously taken a few more reps than he normally does. It’s been great for DJ to be able to practice as well. I think that’s been beneficial. Across the board, it’s becoming real to [Warner]. … Depending on what direction we head here, he could be out there in the mix.”
Walking wounded
Florida will be limping into Austin on Saturday afternoon. Joining Mertz and likely Lagway on the sideline is sophomore wide receiver Eugene Wilson III (hip), who underwent season-ending surgery on Tuesday, and sophomore running back Treyaun Webb (leg), who is also expected to miss the remainder of the campaign.
The Gators will also be without both starting cornerbacks. Redshirt senior Jason Marshall Jr. was previously ruled out for the season, and junior Devin Moore was quickly ruled out after being injured against Georgia. Redshirt senior Asa Turner has not played since Week 1 against Miami, and sophomore Ja’Keem Jackson, who played 11 games last season, are other defensive backs still sidelined.
Napier reiterated this week that the secondary was a deep room entering the season; now that it has been hit by the injury bug, the competitive depth UF recruited and developed is showing up in games.
Senior RB Montrell Johnson Jr. remains listed as questionable with no updates this week about whether he will be able to play despite holding that same designation since before the second off week. Sophomore CB Dijon Johnson (who would likely start in place of Marshall and Moore) along with two more starters — redshirt junior right guard Damieon George Jr. and senior wide receiver Elijhah Badger — are all listed as questionable, too.
Moving on
Napier received a (usually dreaded) vote of confidence from athletic director Scott Stricklin on Thursday. (This despite Gators fans having no confidence whatsoever in Stricklin.) There is a case to be made for Florida retaining Napier next season, but with the coach’s job status no longer a weekly focus, concentration can fully be paid to whether the program is improving in Year 3.
At 4-4 on the season with all four losses coming to teams currently ranked inside the top 10, it’s hard to say that’s the case — especially the way the Gators began the season. On the other hand, Florida nearly upset Tennessee on the road and was beating UGA before Lagway went down with the defense playing with a ferocity not previously seen inside the program.
Napier continues to acknowledge that progress has been slow but remains confident and hopeful that patience will pay off between the sidelines.
“We all want things faster. Life and football is no different — it tests our patience. Given the dynamic, I just like this team. I like what I’ve observed from this team since the first open date,” he said.
“Obviously, we were very disappointed with how we started the year. Just the group of players — I have a ton of respect for the group of players. And the body of work since the open date, as a whole, I’ve been pleased with that. The mindset, the competitive spirit, the football improvement — the tape speaks for itself.”
Notes & quotes
Napier on the breakout of redshirt junior RB Ja’Kobi Jackson: “We were trusting our eyes a little bit [on the evaluation from junior college]. … He’s proved us right.”
Napier on senior punter Jeremy Crawshaw: “He’s a weapon. Certainly, at times, he’s been huge with his ability to flip the field. … He has an opinion that resonates with the team. He’s a real athlete, real competitor, and that carries over.”
Napier on Wilson’s surgery: “It’s been a wild ride. Tre had a genetic hip issue that eventually got to the point where we had to clear it up. … He made the best decision in his long-term career in terms of little things the injury was causing from a compensation standpoint. He had a great surgery. I think they got to the root of the problem. … It’ll be about a four-month recovery.”
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