DJ Lagway injury update: Billy Napier addresses if Florida will change gameplan to protect him

The Florida Gators are excited to see what star quarterback DJ Lagway can do in his second season of college football. There is a concern already, though, and that’s his health.

Lagway has been severely limited throughout the offseason due to multiple injuries. In the spring, he wasn’t able to throw due to a shoulder and lower-body injury. Now, in Fall Camp, he’s been limited with a calf issue that had him in a boot at one point. In many respects, it would then make some sense to try and find a way to ease Lagway into the regular season.

For his part, Florida head coach Billy Napier is happy with how Lagway has progressed, but he does know the Gators need to be careful with him. At the same time, Napier isn’t interested in giving away how that could change the gameplan for Week 1 just yet.

“I think I probably wouldn’t say those things publicly, you know,” Billy Napier said. “Obviously, you’re thinking the right way. There’s some gamesmanship to that part. But in general, I don’t know we’re going to disclose our game plan, but I do think it is what it is at this point.”

DJ Lagway was forced into action in 2024 as a true freshman when then-starter Graham Mertz went down with his own injury. Over the course of the second half of the season, Lagway then flashed what has folks around the Florida program so excited about him. He also suffered an injury then, and missed the game against Texas because of it.

For the year, Lagway completed 59.9 percent of his passes for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns to nine interceptions. On top of that, he rushed for 101 yards.

Florida does ease into the regular season a little bit. The Gators open on the season on August 30th against LIU, an FCS opponent that hasn’t won more than four games in a season since 2018, which coincides with the program making the jump to Division I in 2019.

Florida names DJ Lagway starting quarterback ahead of 2025 season

It has been presumed throughout the offseason that DJ Lagway will start for Florida. Now, Billy Napier has made it official.

“DJ is the starting quarterback,” Napier said. “DJ has been a 100-percent participant here for several days. I think he gets better every day. He’s having a lot of fun playing football and competing. Think he’s smiling a lot more often now.”

If there is one thing the announcement proves, it’s that DJ Lagway is healthy for the start of the 2025 season. Now, the Gators are going to need him to stay healthy throughout the season.