DJ Lagway, former Texas high school football phenom, has record Florida Gators debut

Ex-Willis High School (Texas) standout DJ Lagway throws for 456 yards, 3 TDs in decisive Florida win

Florida QB DJ Lagway (No. 2) celebrates his first career start after beating Samford on Sept. 7, 2024. / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

In just his second game as a true freshman, DJ Lagway definitely made an immediate impact.

Lagway, the former Willis (Texas) standout quarterback and 5-star recruit, made his first career start on Saturday for Florida and he turned in a dazzling performance. He completed 18-of-25 passes for 456 yards - which set one school record in one category - and three touchdowns in the Gators’ 45-7 win against Samford at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

In the first half, Lagway threw for 209 yards on 8-of-11 passing, though no touchdowns, as Florida built a 14-0 lead. But the touchdowns definitely came in bunches in the second half, as Lagway fired three TD passes, including one that covered 85 yards.

He also easily shattered the single-game school record for most passing yards as a true freshman. The previous record was 268, set by Chris Leak in a 2003 game against Kentucky. Lagway nearly set the single-game school record for passing by a Florida quarterback, but was 26 yards shy of that as he was taken out of the game with Florida comfortably in command.

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Lagway made his collegiate debut in last week’s loss to nationally ranked Miami, coming in after starting quarterback Graham Mertz left the game with a concussion. In the loss to Miami, Lagway was 3-of-6 for 31 yards and had one pass picked off.

Earlier in the week, Florida coach Billy Napier named Lagway the starter against Samford, and the freshman definitely rewarded the coach’s faith in him.

• TEXAS HS FOOTBALL SCORES

Lagway’s first career TD pass came with less than two minutes into the second half, a 36-yard strike to Tank Hawkins for a 21-0 Florida lead. Then after Samford finally got on the board, Florida answered moments later as Lagway found Aidan Mizell from 41 yards out.

With less than 10 minutes remaining, Lagway then pitched it out to Tre Wilson on a jet sweep, and Wilson raced in from 85 yards out, extending the Gators’ lead to 31, 38-7.

As a senior for Willis in 2023, Lagway threw for more than 4,600 yards and 58 touchdowns as the Wildkats - who finished 2-8 in Lagway’s freshman year - surged to a 12-1 season, which ended with a loss to eventual 6A Division II champion DeSoto in the regional semifinals.

More DJ Lagway:

• Desoto downs DJ Lagway, Willis: 'They thought he could beat us by himself, and that was not happening'

• DJ Lagway, Willis down Tomball Memorial in Texas high school football playoffs

• Florida Gators commit DJ Lagway finds hurdling receiver for 1 of 7 first-half TDs

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-- Buck Ringgold | buck@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveTX