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The Gators are fortunate to have two standout quarterbacks and he plans to use both in every game, Florida football coach Billy Napier said at Monday’s news conference.
Florida Gators Football Press Conference 9-9-2024 https://t.co/JjOq4o0CAB
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) September 9, 2024
Lagway’s Roll
After an impressive showing from freshman quarterback DJ Lagway in Saturday’s 45-7 win against Samford, Napier was questioned about the situation at quarterback. Lagway completed 18-of-his-25 passes for 456 yards and three touchdowns. His success throwing the ball deep was something that was missing from the Gator offense. Florida’s starter Graham Mertz was out of the game with a concussion.
Napier said Lagway will continue to play as planned:
Napier didn’t get into specifics, but it seems Mertz will retain his starting position when he is healthy. As a dual threat quarterback, Lagway adds another dimension to the Florida offense. Based on Napier’s comment, Lagway will be used situationally and both quarterbacks will be used in tandem. Napier spoke about his experience using two quarterbacks at the University of Louisiana and the success that brought his team then.
Week 2 Improvements
The Gators improved from Week 1, Napier said.
The Florida defense was a major concern after the loss against Miami. They allowed 41 points at home and failed to put the opposing quarterback under much pressure. The team had four sacks against Samford, a major improvement. It still isn’t fully convincing. Samford is an FCS school and doesn’t provide the same competition as most of Florida’s SEC schedule:
Problems in Pass Protection
The offensive line is another position group that struggled against Miami. Mertz was continuously under pressure.
Napier said there is still work to do in the offensive line group. The starting positions are still not set and the individuals who perform will be the ones who play;
Up Next
The Gators (1-1) open SEC play Saturday at The Swamp against Texas A&M (1-1) at 3:30 p.m. on ABC, ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.
Game details are set.
Our week 4 matchup against Mississippi State will be at Noon ET on ESPN.📺#GoGators 🐊 pic.twitter.com/k7ofQonaUU
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) September 9, 2024
