Cam's Column: That Kid from Willis, Texas is Something Else

DJ Lagway's impact is far greater that what happens on the field this season.

Nov 16, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) gestures towards a sign held by Florida Gators offensive lineman Austin Barber (58) after a game against the LSU Tigers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The hype is real. DJ Lagway is a special player, and his immediate impact on the Florida Gators team, the fanbase and the future of the program is a sight to behold.

Echoing Steve Spurrier's famous "God smiled down on the Florida Gators today" statement, head coach Billy Napier had his own statement to say about Lagway, who became the school's first true freshman quarterback to win a home game over a ranked opponent.

"God blessed that young man, is what I would say," he said.

I mean, not many freshmen quarterbacks throw multiple incomplete passes in a row only to have the home crowd chant his name in an effort to lift him up. Lagway got that during the Gators' Saturday's 27-16 upset over LSU.

Not many freshmen quarterbacks come back from a serious hamstring injury in two weeks and throw for over 200 yards with no turnovers while upsetting a ranked opponent. Lagway did.

Not many freshmen quarterbacks earn the team-wide respect of an SEC program to the point where the entire team's production is elevated. Lagway did, and he's only needed 10 games and four starts to do it.

"He hasn’t taken that leader leadership role yet, but he's taken a role to where he understands that a part of the team is going to feed off his energy," edge rusher Tyreak Sapp said. "I push him, and the defensive guys push him. We rally around him as a defense because we want to let him know we got your back no matter what, little brother, we got your back."

Now, it certainly wasn't a perfect night for Lagway. He completed exactly 50 percent of his passes, and he looked uncomfortable on most of his throws, a side-effect of an early return after an injury that many thought could end his season.

I mean, it wasn't like he walked off the field during the second quarter against Georgia with a minor injury. He was carted off.

Instead, though, he made the throws that mattered, and he looked good doing it.

A back-shoulder throw that many upperclassmen couldn't make resulted in a 23-yard touchdown to Elijhah Badger (By the way, what a dynamic duo those two are becoming).

GATORS STRIKE FIRST!!! @DerekLagway 🎯 @Elijhahbadger2

📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/T4Czy5edQr

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 16, 2024

In the fourth quarter, still battling the discomfort of his injury, he evaded pressure, moved up in the pocket and threw a dime to Badger, which set up a touchdown rush from Ja'Kobi Jackson to retake the lead.

Not many 18-year-olds can make that throw. Not many college quarterbacks anywhere can make that throw. Then, remember that he did it with his injury.

"Jaw-dropping experience," said edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. on Lagway's throw.

DJ Lagway

pic.twitter.com/Bnq4gSZVZS

— Steve Palazzolo (@StevePalazzolo_) November 16, 2024

He also added a clutch 19-yard pass to Hayden Hansen over the middle of the field to set up Jadan Baugh's game-sealing touchdown run.

We all knew Lagway's arrival would bring a lot of immediate pressure, hype and high expectations. I mean, I couldn't imagine being compared to Tim Tebow before even taking a snap of college football. I couldn't imagine having the weight of the future of the program on my shoulders even with a veteran starter in front of me.

Instead, it never seems like the moment is too big for him. For Lagway, it's nothing spectacular. It's part of the job.

"Just somebody gotta make the play. And why not me?" he said. "That's my thought process. Always want to be a game-changer, want to change the game. When the big plays arrive, I've got to make the play."

Now, it isn't just Lagway, either. Florida's offensive line didn't allow a single sack despite Lagway being immobile, the receivers made big plays down the field, running backs Baugh and Jackson made clutch scores and the tight ends were involved. It was a true team-effort against LSU.

But it's hard to ignore that this performance came with the freshman from Willis, Texas who wears the No. 2 jersey taking the snaps at quarterback.

The Gators are now 3-1 with Lagway starting, and that one loss could have easily been a win had it not been for his second-quarter injury against Georgia. The Gators were leading 10-3 with the ball at the time of his injury. Who knows how that could've ended?

And, he's doing it all while not looking like a green freshman.

In his first collegiate season, he broke Florida's record for most passing yards in a game by a freshman (456 versus Samford, which is also ninth all-time in program history). He also owns the program record for 40-yard passes in a single game (five, which he's done twice this season).

"The game has slowed down. He'll tell you that," Napier said. "Look, he's only going to get better. I respect him as a competitor on game day, the way he handles himself between the lines. The guy's completely into it as a competitor, doing everything he can to win the game, and he did enough tonight."

It isn't just about the impact Lagway has on this season and current roster, though. He may just be Florida's best recruiting pitch for the upcoming class. In front of a multitude of high-ranked offensive recruits on Saturday, Lagway's performance may have put the Gators in a good position to change the trajectory of its recruiting class.

After athletic director Scott Stricklin's public vote of confidence in Napier, it was Lagway who talked with recruits about the immediate future of the program, and when he talks, they listen.

"I feel like on a recruiting standpoint, I felt it was huge as well. I had a lot of guys hit me up after they've seen that, texting me, trying to see what's going on," Lagway said.

His influence could make or break the Gators' upcoming recruiting classes, both from high schoolers who may want to make a collegiate career out of playing with someone who could be one of the nation's best over the next few seasons and portal players looking for a career resurgence.

Putting the sunshine-pumping to the side for a bit, is it too early to completely give Lagway his flowers? Possibly. He has only started in four games and is still a freshman.

Did he win Saturday's game entirely on his own? No. Again, the offensive line played outstanding, skill positions made enough winning plays and the defense overcame a brutal third-down showing to hold LSU to 13 points, the lowest point-total allowed by the Gators against the Tigers since 2016.

And then there's the fact that the season is far from over, and the program certainly isn't where it needs to be in year three of Napier's tenure. Florida still needs another win to go to a bowl game with two games left.

And, no amount of flowers, air freshener and five-star dual-threat quarterbacks can cover up the mess that is the UF football program. Changes need to be made from top to bottom if Florida is to return to its former glory.

Who knows if changes will be made, and if they are, if they'll be the right ones. The fact remains that as it stands, Florida doesn't plan to make a change regarding Napier's status as the head coach. Whether that'll work out or not remains to be seen, but Lagway is confident that things will turn around for the program.

And he, alongside a slew of youngsters such as Baugh, LJ McCray, Myles Graham, Aidan Mizell, Aaron Chiles, etc., will be at the forefront.

"Means a lot, being the second year in offense is huge. Just having the guys rally behind that and truly like we're going to change this. And that's the whole vibe in the locker room, that we're going to change this place and we're going to make it what it used to be," Lagway said.