Florida QB DJ Lagway has ‘a pathway for recovery and a return’ this season from hamstring injury

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida quarterback DJ Lagway’s hamstring injury is “less significant” than initially feared, and the Gators have not ruled him out for Saturday’s game at No. 5 Texas.

“I think a lot of that will be determined as we move our way throughout the week,” coach Billy Napier said Monday.

“We do think there’s a pathway for recovery and a return,” Napier added.

Lagway left Saturday’s 34-20 loss to No. 2 Georgia in the second quarter and returned to the sideline in the second half with his legged wrapped and using crutches. He was the second Florida quarterback to go down this season, joining starter Graham Mertz.

Replays showed Lagway grabbing his left hamstring during a 3-yard run. He was carted off the field to a loud ovation and with the Gators leading 10-3 in a rivalry game known as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.”

Mertz is out for the season with a torn ligament in his left knee, so the Gators had to turn to walk-on Aidan Warner against one of the best defenses in the Southeastern Conference. Warner would start against the Longhorns if Lagway can’t play.

Warner completed 7 of 22 passes for 66 yards, with an interception that set up a late touchdown. He also was sacked twice.

Lagway, a highly touted freshman from Texas, completed 2 of 6 passes for 47 yards, including a 43-yarder to Aidan Mizell for a touchdown.

Lagway has completed 61% of his passes for 1,071 yards, with six touchdowns and five interceptions. His numbers in his first two starts were eye-popping: 715 yards passing, including 10 completions of 40 yards or longer.

And it wasn’t dinks and dunks that turned into big gains. He dropped balls into buckets down the field and hit receivers in stride. He looked like the ideal fit for Napier’s read-option offense that takes deep shots.

It remains to be seen how Warner would fit into that mold. How Florida ended up with a walk-on as its third-string quarterback is probably more concerning.

Napier has lost eight scholarship QBs earlier than expected during his three years at Florida, including transfers Jalen Kitna, Jack Miller and Max Brown. Signee Jaden Rashada never made it to Gainesville after a name, image and likeness deal worth nearly $14 million fell through.

Rashada ended up at Arizona State for a year and then transferred to Georgia. He’s now suing Napier and a prominent booster over the NIL deal.

Colorado State transfer Clay Millen is on scholarship and behind Warner on the depth chart.

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