A Short-Lived but Sweet Deep-Threat Connection Forming Between Lagway, Badger

DJ Lagway and Elijhah Badger will only get to play together for one season, and the duo is making the most of it.

Nov 16, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators wide receiver Elijhah Badger (6) catches the ball for a touchdown over LSU Tigers cornerback Ashton Stamps (1) during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- It’s been an up-and-down season for the Florida Gators, but even with these peaks and valleys, freshman quarterback DJ Lagway and senior wideout Elijhah Badger have cultivated a great relationship on the field. 

Some of Florida’s best games offensively have come when both players step across the white lines rather than one or neither, which is why it was a major confidence boost when both were not listed on the availability report heading into their matchup against LSU on Saturday. 

“I think it just gave the whole team a lift and just confidence that we were coming back and we knew we had a team that we could go in there and compete with," Badger stated. 

And, boy, did they compete. 

Lagway tallied 226 passing yards and one touchdown on a beat-up hamstring, and his favorite receiver, Badger, hauled in six of his throws for a game-high 131 yards and one touchdown in the Gators' 27-16 upset over LSU.

Things between the two got going early in this contest. On the second drive of the game, Lagway found his star receiver for a 23-yard touchdown that allowed the hosts to take a 7-0 over the Tigers. 

GATORS STRIKE FIRST!!! @DerekLagway 🎯 @Elijhahbadger2

📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/T4Czy5edQr

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

However, this budding relationship between them really didn’t get any traction for the rest of the half.

It wasn’t until the second half when things really started to click. Immediately out of the locker room, Florida’s freshman phenom found Badger for a 19-yard gain. Unfortunately, that’s pretty much as far as that drive went. 

The following drive would be different though. The Gators offense came out with an air raid mindset with the drive being all passes. 

Lagway’s first four passes of the drive were all to Badger. Only two of them were successful, but they were two first-down completions that went for 17 yards and 24 yards. He also had one more catch on this drive for 12 yards that put the Gators just inside field goal range to tie it at 13 apiece. 

Then, just a couple drives later, Badger made possibly the biggest catch of the game.

Shortly following a turnover from the Tigers, Lagway, evading pressure on a injured hamstring, perfectly placed a pass into Badger’s hands for a 36-yard gain down to the Tiger’s 1-yard line. This catch set up the go-ahead touchdown that would give the Gators control of the game and eventually its first win over LSU since 2018.

Additionally, this reception from Badger was the longest in the game from any receiver on either sideline. 

DJ Lagway

pic.twitter.com/Bnq4gSZVZS

— Steve Palazzolo (@StevePalazzolo_) November 16, 2024

This isn’t new for the Gators though. Badger has been a constant deep threat all season and Lagway has the arm talent to put it on the money every time he is open down field. It’s why they work so well together, which is something Lagway detailed after the game. 

“The way he excels when the ball's in the area. I can just put it up there, he'll go get it,” Lagway said after the win over LSU. “We have an amazing connection.”

However, Rome wasn’t built overnight. It’s been slowly building whenever Lagway has been the full-time starter.

He has only been the starter four games – one of those was against Georgia where he was injured early in the second quarter – and in three of them, Badger has gone for 100 or more yards. Those also make up all of Badger's 100-yard performances this year.

It all started in Lagway’s first career start against Samford when Badger had three catches for 123 yards. He also had a 77-yard catch against the Bulldogs, which is the longest of the season for him. Against Kentucky, he racked up another 148 yards on just three receptions. He had catches for 58, 50 and 40 yards against the Wildcats. 

Then, there was last night against LSU. 

The only weird thing about this duo is that Badger only brought down his first receiving touchdown from a throw by Lagway last night. His other two on the season came from Graham Mertz. 

There is also one downside to this rising synergy between the two. This is Badger’s final year in college while it is only Lagway’s first. Many fans would love to see Badger back on the field in the orange and blue next season, but it just isn’t possible. 

It’s why they say all good things must come to an end eventually, but still needing one more win for a bowl game and with two games left, the Lagway-to-Badger connection gives hope for Gator Nation as the season comes to a close.