Florida's Billy Napiers' saving grace could be on the horizon

A 41-17 at home against the Miami Hurricanes did not sit well with Florida Gator fans. Considering the fact that this is head coach Billy Napier’s third season in Gainesville, this was a hyped game in year three of his tenure with now only five players remaining on the roster from the Dan Mullen era.

Not only did the Gators fail to win, but they arguably looked even worse than they did in 2023 after opening the season on the road against the Utah Utes. With starting quarterback Graham Mertz returning and the Gators having more weapons around him on offense at wide receiver
, it was presumed that Napier’s Gators would put forward a better effort than was shown on Saturday.

Discussed all offseason was a narrative many thought would matter most. That narrative was not if Napier lost games, but how the team looked in these losses. Well, it has only been one game so far in 2024 but Napier and the Gators failed the eye test by a long shot amassing just over 200 yards of total offense.

As things unfold, however, events happen and circumstances come into fruition. One of those this past week was Mertz going down with a concussion. Although Mertz had a solid season numbers-wise in 2023 throwing only three interceptions on the year, he had a poor game against the Hurricanes and is purely a pocket passing quarterback.

With Mertz’s mobility limited and the Gators seemingly needing a spark, this concussion will have Mertz not available for the Gators’ upcoming game against FCS opponent Samford. Into the spotlight steps true freshman DJ Lagway.

Lagway was the crowned jewel of Napier’s 2024 recruiting class and has been opening eyes with his off-field leadership and on-field play since his arrival in Gainesville. Even before Mertz’s injury, there was talk of having a package for him as he is the type of player that you cannot keep off the field.

Lagway entered the game in the fourth quarter against the Hurricanes after Mertz’s injury and went 3-for-6 passing for 31 yards with a fluke interception. He would also rush the ball four times for 20 yards. Although not much was put on tape, the former five-star who ranked as the top quarterback in the 2024 high school recruiting class did look to have dual threat, dynamic play-making ability that Mertz simply cannot bring to the table.

Although no one likes to see anyone get injured, unforeseen circumstances have a way of changing things. Sometimes that is for the better, and sometimes for the worse. With things still up in the air as to how Lagway will perform, the one thing that is certain is Napier’s job is on the line. If the Gators play with a spark on Saturday, do not be surprised if quarterback controversy arises. And again, with Napier’s job on the line, he may just take a big swing and make the change.