Florida Gator fans can breathe a little sigh of relief with news that quarterback DJ Lagway returned to practice on Saturday.
There was speculation last week that Lagway would not make the Gators first scrimmage after he suffered a calf injury.
Lagway didn’t participate in spring practice because of other lingering injuries, and this latest injury had many believing he was not only going to miss the Gators first scrimmage but maybe the first two games of the season.
But according to Keith Niebuhr with Gators Online, when he appeared on the McElroy and Cubic Show, Monday morning, he will be fine, or at least the coaches think he will be, but will continue to monitor the situation
“His mobility looked to be good, Niebuhr said. “He threw the ball great to be honest with you.”
Niebuhr added, “His mechanics looked to be better and that was backed up by the sources of his camp. I think there is some real optimism.”
The Gators' season may be in danger because of Lagway’s injuries, and while he showed up to camp on Saturday and played well, questions still linger as to whether he can get through this season without being injured.
Last year, he couldn’t. He got injured early in the Georgia game, which pretty much cost the Gators the game. When he returned, however, he looked all-world. The Gators are going to need him if they expect to make a run in the SEC and the College Football Playoff.
But if Lagway isn’t 100 percent before the Gators first game, you have to wonder if Billy Napier will sit him and only bring him in if that is an emergency. Why risk his health against a lesser team?
The Gators open with a team they should handle easily, LIU (Long Island University), on August 30, a game they should be able to win without Lagway in the backfield.