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DJ Lagway injury update: Florida QB limps to medical tent after jump ball throw 

FaceProfileby: Thomas Goldkamp10/04/25
DJ-Lagway-Florida-Gators
Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) looks to throw against the Long Island Sharks during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway appeared to suffer an injury while attempting to throw away a pass late in the first quarter in a game against Texas. He hobbled his way off the field after the throw.

Then, Lagway reportedly entered the blue medical tent on the team’s sidelines, according to a report from Horns247 beat writer Eric Henry. He will be monitored closely as the game progresses, but for now the backup quarterbacks were getting ready on the team’s sidelines.

The backup quarterbacks for Florida are freshman Tramell Jones and veteran transfer Harrison Bailey. Jones has been the first to take snaps behind Lagway early on this season.

ABC provided an update on DJ Lagway on the following offensive series. Lagway returned to the field under center.

“They spent about four minutes in there, came out, took some pain medication, tested that lower body on the right side, said he was good to go,” sideline reporter Kris Budden said. “Went up to the offense and said, ‘I am fine, let’s continue this.'”

Of note, DJ Lagway has dealt with multiple injuries in the last year or so. He actually missed last season’s game against Texas after suffering a hamstring injury, and even when he returned Florida wasn’t able to take advantage of his running ability as a result.

Then, the offseason was for the former five-star prospect was shortened by a pair of injuries. He dealt with a shoulder injury that limited him in the spring and kept him from throwing. Then he suffered a calf injury early in fall camp that also caused him to miss most of the team’s major work ahead of the season.

He’s had trouble shaking off the rust ever since. DJ Lagway just hasn’t recovered his freshman form, when he helped lead Florida to four straight wins to end the 2024 campaign.

So far this season Lagway has gone 83-of-123 passing for 690 yards, with five touchdowns and six interceptions. He threw five interceptions in the team’s loss to LSU.

Tim Tebow suggests fix for DJ Lagway

Lagway hasn’t been himself this season, and that much is plain for anyone to see. For former Florida great Tim Tebow, the fix is simple.

“When you can play free and with confidence, man, you’re a different player. But when you play with the weight of the world on you, it’s hard to have joy,” Tebow said on TV on Friday. “When you’re walking into a stadium and you know the majority of the country will either praise you or criticize you, that’s a different level of pressure.”

Whether it’s due to nagging injuries that kept him off the field much of the offseason, or facing the overwhelming pressure of needing to salvage a second-straight season for embattled Florida head coach Billy Napier, Lagway hasn’t looked like the same player that went 6-1 down the stretch as a true freshman last year. In fact, through four games, the former No. 1 overall recruit in the 2024 class has thrown six interceptions to just five touchdowns while completing just 67.5-percent of his passes for 690 yards.

“Tim talked about DJ Lagway finding joy again. He has to find it — whatever it is,” Harper said Friday. “When you were a little kid in the backyard playing football, you loved it. You could do it all day long. You were mad when your mom called you back inside.

“So getting back to that point, getting back to what truly brings you joy when it comes to this football game, that I love so much since I was a young man. … For Florida, ultimately, DJ Lagway has to find the joy again.”

On3’s Alex Byington also contributed to this report.