When Florida fired former head coach Billy Napier, the Gators’ offensive staff was due for a makeover.
The Gators (3-5, 2-3 SEC) debuted their revamped offense under offensive coordinator Russ Callaway and play-caller Ryan O’Hara on Saturday. While there were commendable moments on offense against No. 5 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC), Billy Gonzales’ first outing as Florida interim coach will still be remembered as another instance where the Gators fell short.
“[I] feel like teams have been playing us differently,” quarterback DJ Lagway said. “They watch film. They figure out things, and we got to make adjustments. And I feel like we have just got to execute better.”
Change of scenery in the passing game
Despite the loss, it was clear Callaway and O’Hara had a plan in place to push the ball downfield.
Lagway attempted five passes of 20-plus air yards and completed two of them. One of his completions was a 40-yard touchdown pass to Eugene Wilson III.
“He's a baller,” Lagway said. “It's always great to get the ball in his hands and let him do his thing.”
With the wide receiver room already thin with injuries, Florida suffered a massive blow in the first half when freshman receiver Dallas Wilson exited the game. It was announced Sunday that he’ll miss the remainder of the season due to a foot injury.
Despite the freshman’s absence, Eugene had a breakout game and caught nine passes for 121 yards and a touchdown.
On the touchdown, Lagway scrambled out of the pocket and found his receiver past Georgia’s secondary for a walk-in score.
“Obviously, with a couple playmakers down: we had Aidan down, VB down, and Dallas was down here in the middle of the game,” Gonzales said. “He stepped up. He did a great job. He's got big play-making ability.”
Florida’s receivers outside of Eugene could not mimic the same success. Senior J. Michael Strudivant picked up two receptions for 21 yards. Prior to being ruled out, Dallas had one catch for seven yards.
The course of the game was altered when Sturdivant failed to scoop an underthrown ball with just over three minutes left. Lagway rolled to his left and found the UCLA transfer wide open. After review, it was deemed that Sturdivant did not gain control prior to the ball hitting the ground.
“I should have put a little more on it,” Lagway said. “Right when I popped up and looked up I saw him. I was already on my left foot. I just tried to get it out to him.”
Florida’s quarterback attempted his fewest passes since Sept. 9 against Miami. Lagway completed 15 of 24 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.
Lack of success on third down
The Gators carried a 32% third-down conversion rate heading into Jacksonville. The total ranks 128th among all FBS opponents.
The trend continued Saturday. Florida failed to convert on third down until freshman KD Daniels gained three yards with 5:41 left in the third quarter. After moving the chains, the Gators would convert once more, bringing their third-down efficiency to two of 11.
“We have to be better than that and make sure that we're better than two of 11 on third down,” Gonzales said.
After posting 10 points in the first quarter, the Gators were forced to punt on all three drives of the second quarter.
Callaway and O’Hara’s play selection on third down did not fool Georgia’s defense despite the unit entering the game 95th in the country in allowed conversion rate.
All of the third downs Florida faced in the second half were five yards or less. Lagway failed to connect with his receivers on three of the third downs, setting up a punt, a field goal and a failed fourth down conversion after the Sturdivant incompletion.
“We got to continue to perfect some things and get better at some things,” Lagway said. “It was not good enough.”
The Gators failed to find success in short yardage situations. Lagway attempted to move the chains using his legs in three separate instances and fell short each time. On third-and-goal from the five-yard line, the sophomore picked up just one yard, bringing out kicker Trey Smack.
Similarly, Lagway faced a third-and-2 where he was taken down three yards behind the line of scrimmage.
The most notable of the failed conversions was sophomore Jadan Baugh’s rush up the middle halfway through the fourth quarter. Down by four, Florida decided to go for it from the UGA 18-yard line. If the Gators had brought out Smack for the would-be 35-yard field goal, they would have been down 24-23, but within one possession.
“We had to go for it,” Gonzales said. “No second-guessing as far as the play that was called.”
Jadan Baugh’s success
Baugh was tasked with facing one of the best run defenses in the SEC. Fresh off a 150-yard performance against Mississippi State, the sophomore totaled 72 rushing yards for a touchdown. He also added three receptions for 17 yards.
“He can make those plays,” Gonzales said Oct. 29. “He gives you an added receiver in the pass game as well, whether it's coming out of the backfield or splitting out or motioning him … He’s a fantastic player.”
The Atlanta native had 15 rush attempts and averaged 4.8 yards per carry, his fourth-highest this season. His fifth touchdown of the year came at a pivotal moment during the game.
It was the 11th play of the Gators’ second drive in the third quarter when Lagway looked toward redshirt freshman receiver TJ Abrams. Bulldogs safety Zion Branch committed a pass interference penalty, setting up Baugh to muscle into the end zone. The score tied the game at 17 apiece.
The Gators ran 20 fewer plays on offense than the Bulldogs heading into halftime. UF was on offense for just over nine minutes of the opening half. In that time, Baugh ran the ball just six times, twice in the first quarter.
He was limited in attempts as Lagway accumulated 10 carries and Daniels finished with six.
With the loss, the Gators are now 0-5 when Baugh fails to accumulate over 100 rushing yards.
“Gators expect a winner, so we have to get ready to get back to work,” Gonzales said. “Got four more games ready to roll, we can win.”
Contact Riley Orovitz at rorovitz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @rileyorovitz.
Riley is a sophomore sports journalism student and is the swim & dive beat reporter for Fall 2025 in her first semester with The Alligator. In her free time, she may be watching past Miami Dolphins or Florida Panthers highlights or hanging out with her friends.
