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Football Thoughts on this Florida team......

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 UGly. They were ahead 10-3 and moving the ball when DJ went out injured.

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."

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 9th all-time in program history). He also owns the program record for 40-yard passes in a single game (
5 - which he's done twice this season).

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.


"DJ'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."
 
How would he have done if he'd been the designated starter since the Spring?
With the offense adjusted and built around DJ's abilities from the get-go???

Nothing personal against Mertz, but I'm sorry that he came back.
Dual Thread QB's, DJ with Brown as the backup, would have been the result but for Mertz's return. Ah well, water under the bridge now..........

I stated in the preseason that with Mertz as the starter, they would be lucky to win 4 games.
But with DJ as the starter, they are now at least bowl eligible with a possible 7-5 winning season after a win vs the FSUcks Criminoles.....
So it has turned out better than we had any right to hope for imo....
 
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How would he have done if he'd been the designated starter since the Spring?
With the offense adjusted and built around DJ's abilities from the get-go???

Nothing personal against Mertz, but I'm sorry that he came back.
Dual Thread QB's, DJ with Brown as the backup, would have been the result but for Mertz's return. Ah well, water under the bridge now..........

I stated in the preseason that with Mertz as the starter, they would be lucky to win 4 games
But with DJ as the starter, they are now at least bowl eligible with a possible 7-5 winning season after a win vs the FSUcks Criminoles.....
So it has turned out better than we had any right to hope for imo....
You do realize that if Mertz doesn't get hurt we beat Tennessee, right? Lagway's pick killed our comeback against AM too. We are winning these games right now because our defense has played amazing in the 4th quarter (thanks to changes along the line), LSU and Ole Miss gave us a ton of help, and our running game has started to emerge (and before you tell me that's due to Lagway's running, remember the last two games he hasn't run a lick due to injury). And Brown couldn't even hold the starting job at Charlotte (he's holding the clipboard now). And finally, in 2024 Mertz has a higher passer rating, 6 td's to 2 picks, higher pass yards per game, higher completion, etc etc etc. As to our record? Who knows, purely speculation, so we have to go on the statistical facts.
 
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