GAINESVILLE — Florida quarterback DJ Lagway will open the 2025 season as the Gators starter Saturday night against Long Island University in the Swamp, following an offseason where injuries limited the sophomore star’s ability to practice until recently.
Coach Billy Napier said Lagway practiced fully last week, a first since he has done so since preparing for the 2024 Gasparilla Bowl.
A left calf injury sidelined Lagway for much of fall camp; he did not participate in 11-on-11 drills until Aug. 18.
“It gets better every day,” Napier said. “He’s having a lot of fun playing football and competing. He’s smiling a lot more often now.”
The setback, which Lagway sustained during offseason conditioning drills, came on the heels of a right shoulder injury that prevented Lagway from passing during spring practices. At SEC Media Days on July 16 in Atlanta, he claimed a clean bill of health. Less than two weeks later he was injured his calf to raise concerns about this durability.
Wearing a compression sleeve on his left leg, Lagway was able to throw the ball during individual and 7-on-7 drills. But he did not take part in the team’s scrimmages, Aug. 9 and 16. Coaches held Lagway out of situations where he would have to make sudden and explosive movements until medical personnel were confident his left calf had healed.
The nation’s No. 1 quarterback prospect in the 2024 class, Lagway burst onto the scene as a true freshman, finishing with a 6-1 record as a starter after he replaced injury veteran Graham Mertz.
He entered the offseason a likely 2025 Heisman candidate after he finished second nationally to Ole Miss’ Jaxon Dart with an average of 10 yards per attempt and second in the SEC in passer rating (154.93) to Dart, a first-round pick by the N.Y. Giants.
Lagway was been unable to immediately build on his success.
The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Texan also underwent offseason core surgery following a breakout freshman season.
The slew of ailments and missed practice time prevented the 20-year-old from fully addressing areas where he needs to improve. Lagway completed a modest 59.9% of his throws and a pedestrian 12-to-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio as he particularly struggled to diagnose zone defenses.
Napier expects Lagway to be ready.
“He’s a football junkie,” Napier said. “He’s consumed with improvement.”
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
Up next …
No. 15 Florida vs. Long Island University
When: 7 p.m., Saturday
Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
TV: SEC Network+
Favorite: Florida by XX points
Originally Published: August 25, 2025 at 1:15 PM EDT
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