CBS Sports' SEC spring overreactions sees Florida football's DJ Lagway dominate in 2025
We currently dwell in the doldrums that separate college football's spring practice season from the summer activities, which resume at the end of May. In the meantime, we are left to ponder the outcomes of this month's final scrimmages and begin projecting ahead to the 2025 regular season.
The Florida Gators were without their star quarterback DJ Lagway for all intents and purposes during the spring as a persistent shoulder injury — and possibly a lingering leg injury from last season — kept him out of throwing-related drills and scrimmage duties.
Nonetheless, CBS Sports writer Brandon Marcello's SEC overreaction after the dust settled is focused mainly on UF's second-year signal-caller now that he appears to be ready to fully resume his quarterback workouts.
'DJ Lagway will lead Gators to glory'
"Florida is not deep on defense, and Billy Napier might not be the best game-day coach, but the ingredients on offense are potent enough for a surprising turn in Gainesville," Marcello notes.
"The Gators were left for dead last September, but somehow rebounded to win eight games against a brutal schedule. If the dynamic Lagway can stay healthy behind an offensive line that returns four starters, why can't they improve upon last season and challenge the likes of Georgia and LSU on the schedule?"
DJ Lagway's 2024 stats
The 6-foot-3-inch, 239-pound signal caller out of Willis, Texas, appeared in 12 of Florida's 13 games last season while logging seven starts. The Gators won six of those games he opened up under center, with the lone loss coming against the Georgia Bulldogs in Jacksonville — a game he was knocked out of with a lower-body injury after rallying his team in the first half.
Lagway completed 59.9% of his passes for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns against nine interceptions last fall. He also amassed a multitude of accolades, including a spot on the FWAA Freshman All-American Team, as well as ESPN Freshman All-American, 247Sports True Freshman All-American, On3 True Freshman All-American, PFF True Freshman All-American, CFN Freshman Quarterback of the Year and All-American, plus the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl MVP award.
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