It all makes sense now why Scott Stricklin adamantly stood by Billy Napier when hardly anyone else would. It had very little do with the faith he has in Napier, even if that’s what he had to say.
Stricklin knew the program wouldn’t recover from a terrible recruiting class this year and the current savior of its football program. Yeah, DJ Lagway is the sole reason Napier is allowed in The Swamp and he’s the sole reason Florida football might be fun again.
Lagway led the charge on Saturday as the Gators reminded LSU that while this season Florida hasn’t looked great on its home turf, the Gators are truly the only ones that survive The Swamp. And while he’s cooking on the field, he’s recruiting off the field too.
He’s quite literally doing Napier’s job for him. A true savior for Gainesville.
DJ Lagway is saving Florida football, which could return to SEC dominance sooner rather than later
Florida’s win over LSU was big for a few reasons. For one, the Gators are within arms reach of being bowl eligible. They were also able to eliminate one SEC team from the loaded list of College Football Playoff nominees. And it was a boost of confidence as they look to spoil Ole Miss’s CFP hopes this upcoming weekend, too.
After coming back from an injury, Lagway threw for 226 yards and a touchdown in the 27-16 win with zero turnovers. But the win was less about his stats and more about the confidence he gives a fractured locker room.
It makes you wonder, if he and Napier are a package deal, why it took Napier this long to commit to the former 5-star prospect from Texas. Especially since he’s the only reason the boosters didn’t scrum together his buyout money.
And while Lagway’s dominating on the field, he’s also the reason some recruits are still considering the Gators after the turmoil this season.
According to Gentry Hawk, who writes for Gator Country, 5-star wide receiver Jaime Ffrench said during a campus visit, the only reason he’s still considering Florida is because of Lagway.
Five-Star 2025 WR Jaime Ffrench was on campus this weekend before he makes a final decision.
— Gentry Hawk (@GentryHawkGC) November 17, 2024
Ffrench kept it simple when asked why Florida still has a chance.
“DJ Lagway,” Ffrench said. pic.twitter.com/CjjTc8aGi5
Lagway added in an article on onlygators.com that Stricklin supporting Napier is part of what’s helped instill belief in the locker room. The youthful squad wants to be the group that gets Florida back to the top of the SEC.
But it will ultimately be up to Napier how this team will function going forward. Next season, he’ll get Graham Mertz back and he’ll have another decision to make about the quarterback. He’d be foolish to start Mertz again for non-health reasons.
Lagway not only saved his job, but he saved this season and potentially the future of this team with his leadership. DJ Lagway is the nucleus of this Gators’ football program.
This program is nothing without Lagway and the belief he’s instilled in the locker room should be enough to give Gator nation confidence that while their coach might not be the answer, their quarterback certainly is.