Gators quarterback Graham Mertz stands in the tunnel before the game against the University of Miami at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Aug. 31. [Diego Perdomo/WRUF]

Pat Dooley’s Back Nine: Who Would I Start At QB For Florida?

The Back Nine comes at you after a weekend that felt a little better than the last one. Maybe it was all of the Bud Lites.

10. DJ Lagway said he was nervous running out on the field as a starting quarterback Saturday night. Didn’t look like it. Lagway put together the kind of night Gators fans badly needed. He gave them hope and lived up to the hype. The precision of those deep balls was a beautiful thing to watch. The media boys and girls will make this into more of a controversy than it really is, but all I could think about watching the game was that I wish Lagway had been around for the FSU game last year. And then you hear teammate Tyreak Sapp say this – “I watch that kid closely, and he works super, super hard. So, I already knew what was ahead of him for tonight.” And you start to feel good again.

Florida Gators freshman quarterback DJ Lagway throws the ball against the Samford Bulldogs during the second half Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. [Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images]
11. I mean, that Miami taste is still in your mouth, and we are all smart enough to know Samford was the one marshmallow in our Lucky Charms. Still, a beautiful pass is a beautiful pass. And a defense that gave up 52 to these guys played really well against what was basically, the same line that played here in 2021, holding Samford under 100 yards in the second half with the game still in doubt. Now, it gets interesting. There are no more free passes. The brutal schedule has been softened slightly, but it is still what it is starting with Texas A&M in The Swamp.

12. So, this will be the hot take on radio. Not mine, but it will be THE hot take. You have to start Lagway. Forget that Aggies coach Mike Elko is going to throw some exotic defenses at him. Forget that he would be starting against a team from his home state. Forget that this is not Samford. You know what you saw. Now, all of that said. I’d still start a healthy Graham Mertz. But what do I know?

13. Here is what I think I know – the SEC is surprisingly top heavy this season. Texas, Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee (not because of the quarterback, but because of the defense). I can’t put Alabama in the top tier, because I watched that game against USF. LSU has a chance. But I guess what I am trying to say is that I am surprised so many teams that looked like they might take a step toward the top have not been anything special.

14. Notre Dame would fit right in with them after losing to Northern Illinois despite getting some incredibly bad calls go its way. As ESPN’s Heather Dinich pointed out, Notre Dame may not have the schedule to go 10-2 and make it into the 12-team playoff. Hey, we are two weeks in and we’re already having fun. FSU is 0-2, Oregon is playing like a Pac-12 team in the new Big Ten, Michigan is back to being bad and Kentucky looked like it hasn’t been practicing. So, despite what the Gators do, this is shaping up to be a lot of fun. Aren’t they all?

15. It was another winning week for The Picks as Dr. Football went 2-1-1 to put the record for the season at 6-3-1. I remember the 1968 Gators went 6-3-1. That led to Ray Graves getting pushed out after the following season. I’m not going anywhere. On to this week:

  • The mighty Gators are underdogs again this week and we are facing the real possibility Florida will not be favored in a single game this year (there was no spread on the Samford game). I’ll take the Agriculturalists and give the four points. Sorry, that opening game has scarred me.
  • FSU is a 4.5-point favorite at home against Memphis and there is a real possibility the Semis could start the season 0-3. Naw, they have to win this one, right? I’ll take FSU.
  • LSU is giving eight points to South Carolina and the question I have is whether the Gamies are that good or Kentucky is that surprisingly bad. I’ll take the other USC and the points.
  • Alabama is favored by 16.5 at Wisconsin. Do they have cable in Vegas? The Tide looked awful against USF before pulling away late. I’ll bet against ‘Bama, which is a good way to lose money.

16. One thing about the NFL getting started is that you should not overreact to the first week. Then again, why not? I will say that not playing fantasy football made for a fun Sunday with the Red Zone. I was supposed to give my wildcard picks last week, but I had so much to say about the Gators’ game I ran out of room. So, here they are: Steelers, Bengals, Texans, Eagles, Lions, Rams. Go knock yourself out.

17. It wasn’t the best of weekends for Florida’s other two fall sports, as both were handed their first losses. Volleyball lost at home to USF in five sets and is now 5-1 with a big match Wednesday at Georgia Tech. Soccer was throttled by FSU 3-0 and is now 2-1-3 for the season. The soccer team hosts both Texas and Oklahoma this season, which will be cool.

18. My wife walked our crazy dog twice this weekend and said it was like “taking a walk in a bowl of hot soup.” I’m using that someday. She’s not only beautiful, but a great writer. I am neither. Here is your playlist:

WRUF.com sports columnist Pat Dooley can be heard on “The Tailgate” along with Jeff Cardozo from 4-6 p.m. Monday-Friday on 98.1-FM/AM-850 WRUF.

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