DJ Lagway injury update: Florida insider provides latest on Gators quarterback

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway is once again on the mend due to an injury. The talented sophomore is battling a calf injury that briefly saw him placed in a walking boot.

Lagway has since shed the boot, but questions remain about when he might return to practice. An insider for Gators Online, Zach Abolverdi, joined The Paul Finebaum Show on Thursday to discuss the latest on Lagway’s injury.

“Obviously he’s dealing with multiple things,” Abolverdi said. “The latest injury is this calf injury that we reported at Gators Online. There was a bunch of rumors that were circulating after it happened. And he was in a boot for this injury. And it was something that obviously caused him to miss the first day of practice.

“It’s not something that is expected to be a long-term thing or keep him out of camp. But it is something that did have him hobbling around and limping, and he’s not able to go here as they start practices.”

That, of course, is not the only injury that has plagued DJ Lagway in the last calendar year. He had to leave a game against Georgia with a hamstring injury last season, missing the subsequent game against Texas.

Then, he nursed a shoulder injury throughout the spring. He did not do any team throwing as a result.

“You couple that with his shoulder injury, which is something that he has been dealing with since last year, and I think that that’s important to point out –all those incredible throws that he made and those games that they won at the end of 2024, he did with the shoulder issue that he’s had,” Abolverdi said. “So he spent the offseason trying to strengthen his shoulder, trying to do everything he could mechanically to make sure he doesn’t aggravate it this season. And he was looking forward to being able to go out there and showcase his arm in camp. Now there’s going to be a little bit of wait on that with this calf injury.”

Finebaum then pressed Abolverdi on the timeline for DJ Lagway to return. Abolverdi answered in reasonably precise terms.

“He’s day to day. I don’t expect him to miss the amount of practice time to where he’s not going to be out there for the first scrimmage, which is Aug. 9,” Abolverdi said. “That’s when the Gators have their first scrimmage in fall training camp.

“We’re going to have, actually, an open practice on Saturday for Florida Victorious members and fortunately for media members. So we’re going to get to be in the Swamp and see where he’s at, if he’s doing anything at practice for the first time in camp. They’ve shut us out this week. We don’t get to see the first three practices. So we’ll get a better idea of where he’s at. In my opinion I think the goal, obviously, would be to make sure that he gets back in a few practices before that first scrimmage and have him out there Aug. 9 when they go after it.”

But the bottom line is the single biggest story, by far, in Gainesville right now is the health of DJ Lagway. Florida’s season may depend on it.

“Unfortunately here in Gainesville the conversation is surrounding DJ Lagway and his health,” Abolverdi said. “I think that this injury, the latest one that he has sustained, had he not missed all of spring and been limited throughout the summer this wouldn’t be as big of a deal as it is. But that’s the case. So to not have him out there your first day of practice, I think that was a disappointment.

“The good news, and I reported this today at Gators Online, is that he’s been out of his boot now. I know that he was out of his boot on Tuesday. He’s moving around a lot better from what I’ve been told. And this is not a serious injury, it’s just another setback for him and it’s certainly a bummer for this football team as they start training camp.”