The biggest point of focus throughout Florida’s whirlwind start to the season has been the health of quarterback DJ Lagway.
Lagway played catch-up in the final weeks of the offseason due to several different injuries. He didn’t get 11-on-11 reps until just weeks before the opener, and the lack of practice was evident throughout the first four games of the year.
Following a bye week where head coach Billy Napier said Lagway had “his best day at practice” since the start of the season, the sophomore quarterback looked electric against the Longhorns.
Lagway finished with 298 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception, steering the Gators (2-3, 1-1 SEC) toward a 29-21 victory against the No. 9 Texas Longhorns (3-1, 0-1 SEC) Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
“This kid has been through the gauntlet this offseason,” head coach Billy Napier said. “There will be a book written about this set of circumstances.”
The sophomore quarterback’s performance was a stark contrast to his most recent performances against Miami and Louisiana State. Other than the Gators’ 55-0 win against Long Island, an FCS opponent, it looked like the first time he was capable of hitting throws to all parts of the field.
Lagway had six completions of 15 yards or more. Two of his touchdowns were earned by freshman receiver Dallas Wilson, who made his collegiate debut following a lower leg injury he sustained during fall training camp.
Wilson was arguably even more impressive than his quarterback.
The freshman finished with six receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns. On the first play of the game, Lagway found him for a 9-yard gain, which Wilson fumbled, but he quickly pounced back on the ball to keep possession.
He caught his first touchdown with five minutes remaining in the first half to put Florida up 17-7. Lagway threaded a pass through a pair of defenders to find Wilson, who leapt and secured the catch.
In the following quarter, the Gators’ sophomore quarterback hit Wilson in stride, who brushed off two Texas defenders and tiptoed the sideline for a 55-yard touchdown.
In total, he set the record for the most receptions, yards and touchdowns in a debut by a freshman receiver in program history. He became the first Gators freshman receiver to log 100 or more yards in a game since Tyrie Cleveland against LSU in 2016.
“He’s a specimen,” Lagway said. “He’s a great player to have on the field.”
Vernell Brown III was equally as impressive, catching three passes for 72 yards. He secured a 60-yard catch over freshman defensive back Graceson Littleton to add to the Gators’ numerous explosive plays.
A key factor of Florida’s victory was the defensive pressure it applied against Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning. The unit secured six sacks, seven tackles for loss, and the secondary added two interceptions.
Manning has found most of his success in a clean pocket, completing 68.5% of his passes for 625 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions heading into Saturday. However, he has failed to find the same rhythm when interrupted by pass rushers.
Gators edge rusher Brien Taylor Jr. wrecked havoc on Manning and finished the contest with 1.5 sacks.
Florida defensive back Devin Moore also had a phenomenal performance, dominating Manning on one drive during the fourth quarter. He sacked the Texas quarterback then picked him off three plays later.
“This was probably the most complimentary game of football we’ve played all season,” Moore said. “We’ve been stressing that as a team if we put it all together, we’ll be dangerous, and that’s what happened.”
Florida’s victory came largely due to its ability to establish momentum early on in the game. The Gators marched 84 yards down the field and scored a touchdown on the opening drive when running back Jadan Baugh rushed five yards into the end zone.
That momentum remained in Florida’s hands throughout the second half despite Texas adding two scores in the fourth quarter. Gators receiver Taylor Spierto even added two points on a blocked-punt safety in the second quarter.
“[He] was a spark tonight and made a huge play,” Napier said.
The Gators return to action against the No. 6 Texas A&M Aggies (4-0, 1-0 SEC) Oct. 11 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.
Contact Luke Adragna at ladragna@alligator.org. Follow him on X @lukeadrag.
Luke is The Alligator's Sports Editor and is a senior sports journalism student. In his free time, he enjoys playing with his cat named Pete and going down a rabbit hole of niche professional athletes (shoutout Charles Sims).
