Looking forward to 2025 Gator Football

[instaGATOR]

Lagway's projected backup for 2025:

QB-pp Harrison Bailey 6-5 230 - 6th Yr Sr - Tn-UNLV-UL xfer - Marietta, GA

P 2024 - 24 of 33 72.7% for 227 Yds, 6.9 Ave, 3 TD, 0 Int, L-28
2024 Bowl vs Wash - 16 of 25, 64% for 164 Yds, 6.6 Ave, 3 TD, 0 Int L-28, 0 Sac
3 Team Career - 108 of 171, 60.7% for 1,190 Yds, 11.0 Ave, 10 TD, 3 Int, 19 Sac, L-74
Rushing - 44 for -4 Yds, 2 TD - A few good runs, but ate up by 19 sacks.
A career backup QB, so here's to hoping DJ stays healthy....
==============

Just the iG,,,, but I'd work hard with the incoming recruit to see if he could be the backup or #3 and get playing time for 2026 season backup preparation. I'm not much on xfer QB's as anyone reading here long time already knows. (hare today, goon tomorrow)

QB Tramell Jones 6-1 210 **** - Mandarin/Jacksonville - Injured, only 2 Sr Gms.
HS Career 35 Gms:
P - 451 of 760 59.3% for 7,197 Yds, 16.0 Ave, 75TD, 21 Int, L-91
R - 56 for 356 Yds, 6.4 YPC, 2 TD's, L-12

Every 2024 roster QB except Mertz is back for 2025, so depth, but without much quality imo.

 

[Gator Fever]

Lagway's projected backup for 2025:

QB-pp Harrison Bailey 6-5 230 - 6th Yr Sr - Tn-UNLV-UL xfer - Marietta, GA

P 2024 - 24 of 33 72.7% for 227 Yds, 6.9 Ave, 3 TD, 0 Int, L-28
2024 Bowl vs Wash - 16 of 25, 64% for 164 Yds, 6.6 Ave, 3 TD, 0 Int L-28, 0 Sac
3 Team Career - 108 of 171, 60.7% for 1,190 Yds, 11.0 Ave, 10 TD, 3 Int, 19 Sac, L-74
Rushing - 44 for -4 Yds, 2 TD - A few good runs, but ate up by 19 sacks.
A career backup QB, so here's to hoping DJ stays healthy....
==============

Just the iG,,,, but I'd work hard with the incoming recruit to see if he could be the backup or #3 and get playing time for 2026 season backup preparation. I'm not much on xfer QB's as anyone reading here long time already knows. (hare today, goon tomorrow)

QB Tramell Jones 6-1 210 **** - Mandarin/Jacksonville - Injured, only 2 Sr Gms.
HS Career 35 Gms:
P - 451 of 760 59.3% for 7,197 Yds, 16.0 Ave, 75TD, 21 Int, L-91
R - 56 for 356 Yds, 6.4 YPC, 2 TD's, L-12

Every 2024 roster QB except Mertz is back for 2025, so depth, but without much quality imo.

I wouldn't know what to think if Bailey isn't in front of our Yale transfer QB as the backup to Lagway.

 

[instaGATOR]

QBdt DJ Lagway 6-3 239 So (Ave 16.7)

QBpp Harrison Bailey 6-5 230 6th Yr Sr (Ave 11.0, 72%) Mertz dink&dunk type imo

QBdt Lawrence Wright IV 6-1.25 236 rsSo PWO (Ave 13.4 + 5.9 YPC)

QBdt Tramell Jones 6-1 210 Fr **** (Ave 16.0)
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QB Clay Millen 6-2.75 193 rsSr - Nev/ColoSt xfer

QB Aidan Warner 6-3 206 rsSo - Yale xfer

QB Aaron Williams 6-0.5 195 rsSo - WO

 

[GatorTheo]

I really like the timing of the home games. The first two games of the year, the last two and two in October with a week in between.

 

[ocalaman]

I really like the timing of the home games. The first two games of the year, the last two and two in October with a week in between.

Brutal schedule nonetheless - again. No excuses, just sayin'.

 

[Gator Fever]

Who are the Long Island Sharks we open with? Is this a glorified high school team? Never heard of that team in all my years watching college football.

 

[GatorTheo]

Who are the Long Island Sharks we open with? Is this a glorified high school team? Never heard of that team in all my years watching college football.

Last year, they were 4-8 with losses to Albany, TCU (45-0), Lehigh, Rhode Island, Villanova, Duquesne, Robert Morris and Saint Francis.

 

[Gator Fever]

Sounds like Spurrier Jr was hired as an analyst.

 

[46885]

Lagway will be the best QB in college football while only throwing for 150 yards a game

 

[Gator Fever]

Lagway will be the best QB in college football while only throwing for 150 yards a game

I hope Napier is a little more creative. Teams will definitely be dropping a bunch into coverage on many passing downs until we show we will burn them on that. Glad Tulane exposed that more in the bowl game so we can prepare better for it.

 

[46885]

I hope Napier is a little more creative. Teams will definitely be dropping a bunch into coverage on many passing downs until we show we will burn them on that. Glad Tulane exposed that more in the bowl game so we can prepare better for it.

Napier is what he is homie, unless someone else gets the power of change into his ear or DJ's ear.. nothing will change, we will have to win by running the ball.

 

[gatordad3]

 

[Gator Fever]

View embedded media

Not sure the legal arguments but that will be tough to do unless that really could let them out of their conferences. I think it's alright how it is now and wouldn't really help the Big 10 and SEC teams expanding any more. If they do go to 14 playoff teams it will be fireworks if the SEC and Big 10 guarantee themselves 4 spots each instead of 3.

 

[ocalaman]

Who are the Long Island Sharks we open with? Is this a glorified high school team? Never heard of that team in all my years watching college football.

I'm pretty sure another team was scheduled to play us that day and backed out. Probably they were only school available when we went out looking for a replacement team.

 

[46885]

I'm pretty sure another team was scheduled to play us that day and backed out. Probably they were only school available when we went out looking for a replacement team.

That legitimately looks like a team you could only schedule on a video game

 

[instaGATOR]

Much like having a 5-star QB, having a deep 2025 TE bench doesn't mean much if you either don't know how, or just don't chose to use them to their best effect....

Gone: Arlis Boardingham *** xfer, Gavin Hill **** xfer, Keon Zipperer **** Grad.
Arriving: Micah Jones Fr *** - Cameron Kossmann Fr **

The tight ends, the Gators will continue to rely on one consistent veteran to lead the group but will need someone else to step up for Florida to run its 12-personnel.

2024 - The TE's were mostly used as blockers for the run game...
Early projected TE depth chart:

TE-Y Hayden Hansen 6-8 267 rsJr ***
15 for 207 yds, 13.8 Ave, 1 TD

TE-Y Tony Livingston 6-5 254 Jr **** - 2nd string
11 for 109 yds, 9.9 Ave, 2 TD's
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TE-H Amir Jackson 6-5 228 rsFr ****
HS 17 career TD's

TE-H Caleb Rillos 6-6 252 rsSr *** - AF xfer PWO - 2nd string
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TE Scott Isacks 6-4 249 rsJr - NR PWO backup
TE Micah Jones 6-5 245 Fr *** (depth > future)
TE Cameron Kossman 6-6 240 Fr ** (depth > future)

 

[Countygator1]

Regardless of the finish last year, I still have zero confidence in Napier calling the plays. Candidly, when you look at the stats, what got better from the start of season vs those last 4 games was the defense, not the offense. I really wish he would have gone after Cade Bell and handed over the play calling.

 

[46885]

Regardless of the finish last year, I still have zero confidence in Napier calling the plays. Candidly, when you look at the stats, what got better from the start of season vs those last 4 games was the defense, not the offense. I really wish he would have gone after Cade Bell and handed over the play calling.

It takes our whole offense a full half to get going, we won games because we slowly wore teams down establishing the run and playing good defense.. Which is fine if you had a reason for setting up plays later in games or a reason for calling plays to do that, but we will have enough talent on the roster now where we should be able to score a lot of points with it.. and the first possession of the 3rd quarter every game for 3 years has still been the most unimaginative possession of every game.. I would be willing to bet we haven't scored more than a few TD's to open the 3rd quarter since Napier has been at UF.. A good play caller would make UF a lethal contender immediately this year, Napier calls plays like he's Kirby smarts OC.

 

[ocalaman]

It takes our whole offense a full half to get going, we won games because we slowly wore teams down establishing the run and playing good defense.. Which is fine if you had a reason for setting up plays later in games or a reason for calling plays to do that, but we will have enough talent on the roster now where we should be able to score a lot of points with it.. and the first possession of the 3rd quarter every game for 3 years has still been the most unimaginative possession of every game.. I would be willing to bet we haven't scored more than a few TD's to open the 3rd quarter since Napier has been at UF.. A good play caller would make UF a lethal contender immediately this year, Napier calls plays like he's Kirby smarts OC.

Kirby was pretty bad his first few years at Georgia, except for the fact that he was a great recruiter. But he got better and better as a head coah and although I hate Georgia, Smart is probabky the best coach is college football now. Billy Napier needs to learn for Kirby and acknowledge that he's not a very good play caller, hire an elote OC, lift UF to where they can be and become a great coach like Kirby Smart. Napier can get to that level. He just has to realize his limitations and bring in the right person or people who can make him great. I want him to succeed, but I don't think we'll ever be an elite team without a true OC.

 

[Gator Fever]

It takes our whole offense a full half to get going, we won games because we slowly wore teams down establishing the run and playing good defense.. Which is fine if you had a reason for setting up plays later in games or a reason for calling plays to do that, but we will have enough talent on the roster now where we should be able to score a lot of points with it.. and the first possession of the 3rd quarter every game for 3 years has still been the most unimaginative possession of every game.. I would be willing to bet we haven't scored more than a few TD's to open the 3rd quarter since Napier has been at UF.. A good play caller would make UF a lethal contender immediately this year, Napier calls plays like he's Kirby smarts OC.

I am scared Napier will go 8-4 which will barely get him another season here because of Lagway.

 

[Gator Fever]

Kirby was pretty bad his first few years at Georgia, except for the fact that he was a great recruiter. But he got better and better as a head coah and although I hate Georgia, Smart is probabky the best coach is college football now. Billy Napier needs to learn for Kirby and acknowledge that he's not a very good play caller, hire an elote OC, lift UF to where they can be and become a great coach like Kirby Smart. Napier can get to that level. He just has to realize his limitations and bring in the right person or people who can make him great. I want him to succeed, but I don't think we'll ever be an elite team without a true OC.

Smart was in the national championship game his second season I think. I can't remember how much they passed the ball that year though.

 

[46885]

I am scared Napier will go 8-4 which will barely get him another season here because of Lagway.

Sadly I think that's the ceiling with everything as is for this year with Napier.. but the reality is, schedule be damned anything less than 9-3 is not good enough this year.. The roster is just too good not to be a playoff team.

As for Kirby, I can think of a good number of coaches i'd take over him as a game day tactician and schematic coaches.. but he's been an elite recruiter which is a large part of this business so he gets the most credit there.. Saban figured out how to merge his old school style and elite recruiting with modern offensive minds and elite QB's his last 5-6 years.. Kirby still hasn't done either of those things.. Napier has recruited really well with evaluations mixed in now with important 5 stars at big positions, our program is in a good place but on game day he's borderline and arguably bad.. If we had a modern innovative offensive mind we would be back in the top 5 programs yearly I believe, hopefully Spurrier son has some type of stroke because we really need it.. If we ran some of Steves route combos and timing routes from his route tree on 5 step drops with Lagway we'd put on a show, that's just how good he is and the guys he'll be throwing the ball too.. We are LOADED at RB, it looks like we're bringing back a solid OL.. The pieces are there, this is our window and we can't waste it running pistol 24 zone runs 20 times a game on first down.. Our offensive system is fine, it's just the lack of usage of the depth that's actually in that playbook, Lagway can clearly handle it he checked us into and out of plays as a true freshmen like a professional. He can make any throw on the field without even setting his feet, the truth is we just need to hope we win on the strength of his freak ability mixed with great run game and defense.. But the days of "being close" or needing to "Close the gap" on the elite teams in conference are gone, we are there, it's time to win these games and reclaim our spot among the elite.. or Napier is just not the person that can do it.

 

[gatordad3]

Smart was in the national championship game his second season I think. I can't remember how much they passed the ball that year though.

After his 1st season, they had no worse than 10 wins per season till 2020. If they weren't choking against Bama in the SECCG, they were getting blown out by LSU in 2019.

 

[Gator Fever]

After his 1st season, they had no worse than 10 wins per season till 2020. If they weren't choking against Bama in the SECCG, they were getting blown out by LSU in 2019.

I am thinking it was about his first 3 seasons there he was just using the early Saban Bama playbook and they weren't passing it that much before things changed. Problem with Napier could be he is our actual play caller so it might be harder to get a change on play calling. I guess we will know this season.

 

[Countygator1]

Kirby was pretty bad his first few years at Georgia, except for the fact that he was a great recruiter. But he got better and better as a head coah and although I hate Georgia, Smart is probabky the best coach is college football now. Billy Napier needs to learn for Kirby and acknowledge that he's not a very good play caller, hire an elote OC, lift UF to where they can be and become a great coach like Kirby Smart. Napier can get to that level. He just has to realize his limitations and bring in the right person or people who can make him great. I want him to succeed, but I don't think we'll ever be an elite team without a true OC.

Kirby learned from Saban, chick fil a bags of cash go a long way. Shouldn't shock anyone that once NIL kicked in dawgs and tide lost their advantage.

 

[instaGATOR]

The Gator's RB room remains loaded (maybe over-loaded 6+3) for the 2025 season.
RB Montrell Johnson 5-11 216 Sr - Departed to the NFL
RB Cam Carroll 6-0 230 rsSr - Eligibility expended.
=====
Jackson & Baugh are the likely starters for 2025, with backups in contention...

RB Ja'Kobi Jackson 5-10.5 210 rsSr *** - Pensacola, FL, Coahoma CC xfer in 24

RB/WR/CB/S Jadan Baugh 6-1 227 So **** - Atlanta, Ga (Fr, 5 TD's vs UK)

RB Treyaun Webb 5-11 211 rsSo **** - Jax, Fl, (4 Gms, injured out in 2024)

RB/QB/WR KD Daniels 5-11.5 197 rsFr **** - W.Pt. Ms

RB/WR/LB Waltez Clark 6-1 194 Fr **** - Tampa, Fl

RB Byron Louis 5-11 200 Fr **** - Plantation, Fl
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RB Anthony Rubio 5-9 183 rsSo - Miami, Fl - PWO (TD vs Tulane in Bowl)
RB Kelvin Jimenez 6-1 215 rsFr - Cape Coral, FL - WO
RB Chad Gasper 5-10 200 Fr *** - Fulshear, TX - PWO (3 Gms, injured out Sr season)