In 2024, the Gators provided hope to the fans but also enough doubt to be concerned about the upcoming season. There’s the roster first. Billy Napier has stated that he prefers to build this team the old-fashioned way—through recruiting. He has recruited a bumper crop of high school recruits, 27, and only a few transfers. That’s a risky play in an age of free agency, where the portal can provide Band-Aids. Then there’s the quarterback situation. Freshman phenom DJ Lagway is the talk of the town. When healthy during the previous season, the Gators looked like they could take on anyone in the SEC. But though the mood in Gainesville is optimistic and cautious, Napier is not out of the woods yet. The national media is still not convinced.
Billy Napier’s future was the subject of a recent discussion on CBS Sports hosted by Zach Goodall, Chip Patterson, and Jaclyn Deaugustino on June 13th. Last year was the first winning season that we saw under Billy Napier, right? And it’s largely believed that DJ Lagway likes him, that’s why Billy Napier is back, so what does that job security look like for this upcoming season? asked Jaclyn Deaugustino.
CBS Sports recently placed the Gators’ head coach 45th in its list of Power Four head coaches—a step up from last season, but still quite far from elite status. After a tumultuous beginning last year, including a humbling defeat to Miami and some midseason woes, Napier managed to spring the troops back into action somehow. The Gators got hot at the end, stringing together four consecutive victories to go 8-5 and win a Gasparilla Bowl over Tulane. During this run, Florida beat ranked opponents LSU and Ole Miss, showing that they could run with the big boys.
Experts such as Paul Finebaum opine that although Napier weathered last year’s heat, he won’t enjoy the same advantage of the doubt this time. If the team is not in playoff contention by midseason, the heat would become too much to handle. And that’s something that Zach agrees with. “I feel as though the hot seat talk has really dissipated at this point, knowing the Florida fan base and knowing the expectations that they rightfully have for this position.”
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Florida at Tennessee Oct 12, 2024 Knoxville, Tennessee, USA Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier reacts during a game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Knoxville Neyland Stadium Tennessee USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xBriannaxPaciorkax 20241012_gma_usa_0289
The Gators’ schedule for 2025 is a true gauntlet. The season starts with a pair of home games that should be boosters for their confidence—Long Island University on Aug. 30 and South Florida on Sept. 6. But things get serious quickly. The Gators travel to Baton Rouge for an evening game against LSU on September 13, a vintage under-the-lights SEC matchup that’ll establish the tone of the season for Napier. The second half of the schedule is no easier: the annual carnage with Georgia in Jacksonville, road games against Kentucky and Ole Miss, and home games against Tennessee and Florida State to finish off the season.
As great as Billy Napier has done in establishing this team in his image and creating optimism for the future, the truth is he’s still coaching on borrowed time. And Zach puts it perfectly well. “If things were to get off to another rocky start this year like last year, the underperformance relative to the expectations coming in, that conversation absolutely can be sparked again.” Last year’s discourse must still be ringing in Napier’s ears. Remember the rumors of him being replaced by Lane Kiffin just before the two met each other?
The head coach has transitioned from hot seat to hopeful, but in college football, fortunes are changed in a heartbeat. For now, however, the atmosphere in Gainesville is more “wait and see” than “win or else.” And that’s a nice respite for Billy Napier and the Gators after the unfortunate last few years.
DJ Lagway turning hope into reality for the Gators
DJ Lagway is not simply another Florida quarterback—he’s the type of player who can transform the entire atmosphere of a season. “I think Florida has a pretty decent floor because of the way that this roster is constructed, particularly at the lines of scrimmage, but when you’re talking about winning some of the toughest games on one of the toughest schedules in the entire country, you need to have that true difference-maker. DJ Lagway is that difference-maker,” Chip Patterson says. Last season, when Lagway was healthy and taking snaps under center, the Gators were invincible—literally. He went 6-0 in the games he started and completed, passing for more than 1,900 yards with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Not bad for a true freshman in the Southeastern Conference. His opening-day start against Samford was electric as he set a school freshman record with 456 yards passing. This offseason, however, has been something of a roller coaster for Lagway and Gator fans. He has battled a shoulder injury that kept him off the field for the spring game and restricted his work with a throw in practice, but according to head coach Billy Napier, he is gradually increasing his workload and is throwing more than 200 passes per week behind the scenes. The staff gingerly treats him, puts him on a pitch count, and ensures they prepare him for the grind of an SEC schedule. Patterson continues, “That’s why we go over the top with trying to figure out exactly how healthy DJ Laguay is, because the Gator ceiling is entirely reliant on him playing for the entire season.”
Lagway is already being projected as the best SEC quarterback by some pundits, beating out names such as Arch Manning and Garret Nussmeier. That’s major respect for a player who just finished his freshman year. And with a tough slate that features LSU, Texas, Georgia, and Ole Miss, Florida’s going to need all of Lagway’s ability and grit to prevent the season from getting away.
The post Billy Napier Faces Clear Warning as Pressure Mounts on DJ Lagway After Alarming Florida Revelation appeared first on EssentiallySports.