The Florida Gators are hoping for a strong season this year—otherwise, it could be another long, agonizing fall in the Swamp. Head coach Billy Napier enters the season on the hot seat and could very well be in his final year if the same underwhelming Florida team shows up again.
“This seemed over in September, and yet somehow Napier made it, with a spark from DJ Lagway being a big help,” The Athletic’s Seth Emerson wrote. “Who knows, maybe last season was a turning point. But if the Gators have another rough start — and the first-half schedule is rough — Florida has to decide whether to let Napier, 45, ride it out again.”
Sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway brings a noticeable level of confidence and carries himself with the kind of presence you want to see in a young leader.
“My best attribute as a quarterback is really just — I guess people would say — my aura, confidence and just the way I portray myself on gameday,” Lagway said. “My teammates always joke around and say that I’m a totally different person on gameday. That kinda oozes out of me and it’s great to be able to be that for my guys.”
However, Lagway was limited at the start of fall camp due to a calf strain he suffered during a team run.
“After returning to health this summer, it appears that the former five-star will be limited by a calf injury suffered during a team run last week, causing Lagway to be placed in a boot with two days before the Gators begin fall camp,” SI’s JC Shelton wrote.
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USA Today’s Matt Hayes also highlighted the dangers of mismanaging a calf strain.
“More problematic: it’s not a long or difficult a jump from calf strain to much bigger problem,” Hayes wrote. “Aaron Rodgers and Tyrese Halliburton dealt with calf strains in the last two years, and both strains preceded season-ending Achilles injuries. Kevin Durant's Achilles injury in 2019 started with a calf strain, too.”
While that’s certainly a worst-case scenario, it remains a possibility. Calf strains that develop into Achilles injuries have derailed seasons across multiple sports in recent years. Florida must manage Lagway’s recovery carefully—if not, it could cost Napier his job and cast a dark cloud over the season before it even begins.