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Steve Spurrier reacts to Florida benching DJ Lagway for Tramell Jones

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh4 hours agogriffin_mcveigh
Tramell-Jones-Jr-Florida-Gators
Florida Gators quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. (17) looks for a receiver during the third quarter against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. (Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)

With Florida down big in Lexington and quarterback DJ Lagway struggling, interim head coach Billy Gonzales made a switch. Tramell Jones went out there for the Gators, making his second appearance of the season. This one was in a more important situation, though, compared to playing against LIU.

Steve Spurrier gave his reaction to Jones getting in the game on Monday. The stats might not look too pretty but Spurrier points out that not much around Jones went well either. Maybe a tough decision for Gonzales to make heading into the Ole Miss game.

“They did finally give Tramell a shot,” Spurrier said via Another Dooley Noted Podcast. “He didn’t have much protection or not many open guys either. I don’t know what they’ll do this week.”

Jones completed just nine of his 17 passes for 60 yards and did not get into the end zone. However, Spurrier later pointed out how no interceptions were thrown either. Before Lagway got pulled, he turned the ball over on three occasions. Unfortunately for Florida, not the first time Lagway recorded a high number of INTs this season.

Spurrier pondered what Florida might do for the Ole Miss game. The same question might be asked about the long-term status of Lagway. Is there an avenue where he is not inside the program next season? Would the new head coach want somebody else and possibly even Jones?

First question Spurrier asked was about Lagway’s NIL deal. Already a couple of seasons into his time in Gainesville, Spurrier wondered if the length might make the decision for them.

“You always wonder — does he have a two-year, a three-year deal? What kind of deals do all these guys have? That’s what you wonder about.”

Of course, Gonzales received questions about the upcoming decision for Saturday’s game. He did not commit to one guy, instead explaining his reasoning for pulling out Lagway. A baseball analogy came out, likening the situation to making a call to the bullpen.

Jones played high school football at Jacksonville (FL) Mandarin, where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 279 overall recruit in the 2025 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Everyone remembers how highly rated Lagway was coming out of high school. But times are different at Florida, searching for answers with three games remaining in the season.