Florida QB DJ Lagway is throwing 70 passes a day while rehabbing a strained calf

Gators' Quarterback Conundrum

Lagway Rehabbing, But Young Backup Making Waves

Gainesville, Fla. — Florida quarterback DJ Lagway is putting in the work to recover from a strained left calf, but his return to full participation remains uncertain.

Coach Billy Napier confirmed Monday that Lagway is "on schedule" with his rehab and throwing 70 passes daily, but will remain “modified for a while” during practice. The sophomore quarterback, who went 6-1 in seven starts last season, sat out Saturday's scrimmage and hasn't yet joined 11-on-11 drills.

The 15th-ranked Gators open the season August 30 against Long Island University.

“His workload is high," Napier said. "It’s just not with a pass rush, you know? We’re controlling the environment, trying to take care of him from a soft-tissue standpoint.”

Lagway's injury, sustained while running with teammates a week before training camp began, adds another chapter to a season already marked by setbacks for the Heisman Trophy hopeful. He missed spring practice due to a shoulder injury following sports hernia surgery and battled shoulder soreness last fall, culminating in a strained left hamstring in November.

“Any football player would be better off taking the reps,” Napier said. “The key is to be creative in terms of how we format practice, format the walkthrough. We’ve got to maximize all the mental reps, the process reps, the communication reps.”

He continued, “It’s not ideal. That’s the way I’ve tried put it in the past, and I still kind of stand by that. In a perfect world, he’d be 100% and taking every single rep. But he’s not able to do that.”

Young Talent Steals the Spotlight

While Lagway recovers, three quarterbacks are vying for the backup position. Freshman Tramell Jones Jr.'s impressive performance has elevated him in the competition, pushing returner Aidan Warner and college journeyman Harrison Bailey.

"He’s got arm talent, and I think he’s a smart kid," Napier said of Jones' ability. “But he’s still got to operate much quicker, got to process quicker, communicate better under the gun and the play clock, his ability to manage the problems as they arise.”

Napier called Jones' performance “buzz worthy.”

Lagway completed 60% of his passes for 1,915 yards, with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024. He took over the starting role after Graham Mertz tore a knee ligament at Tennessee in October.