The DJ Lagway era begins, and Florida Gators have hope again

GAINESVILLE — Three minutes before 5 p.m. Thursday, hope arrived for the Florida Gators.

Quarterback DJ Lagway completed a pass.

The specifics from the first day of spring practice (a throw right to tight end Hayden Hansen) are irrelevant. So, too, are Lagway’s final numbers (two incompletions — including one drop — in the 18 minutes open to reporters).

The Gators’ most important signee since Tim Tebow is here, running and passing and throwing against air. And if you’re searching for reasons why Billy Napier can eventually bring UF back to glory, start and end with the 6-foot-3, 241-pound freshman in a black No. 2 jersey.

“We all understand that he is talented,” Napier said. “He’s had significant accomplishments. We’re excited that he’s here.”

Judging by the beaming smile on Napier’s face as he talked about Lagway, you can assume the Gators are a little more than excited about their five-star quarterback. With good reason.

Though Lagway was only the No. 7 recruit in the 247Sports composite, he was the most accomplished high school player in the nation: 4,604 passing yards, 957 rushing yards and 74 total touchdowns during his senior year at Texas’ Willis High. That earned him national player of the year honors from Gatorade and MaxPreps, among others.

It also earned him continued recruiting pushes from the likes of USC, Clemson and Texas A&M. After the Gators lost eight blue-chip prospects in the buildup to December’s early signing period, there was some concern that Lagway would be next. Instead, he became UF’s 12th highest-rated signee of the modern recruiting era.

It was the biggest win of Napier’s rocky tenure — one that, perhaps, will lead to more later.

Just not now. Graham Mertz’s 43 career starts make him one of the five most experienced returning quarterbacks in the country, and he set a program record by completing 72.9% of his passes.

“It’s a big deal for the Florida Gators that Graham Mertz is back to play quarterback,” Napier said.

Not just for the Gators. For Lagway, specifically.

Mertz’s presence means Lagway won’t have to start immediately. Maybe that means a Tebow-like role from 2006, when he has a specific package or part-time role behind a starter (Chris Leak, in Tebow’s case). Maybe it’s more like the way Clemson broke Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson in slowly before they supplanted starters. Maybe it’s something else.

Regardless, Lagway has a veteran to learn behind — one who has been through a somewhat similar situation before when he became Wisconsin’s highest-rated quarterback of the modern recruiting era.

“That can be a lot …” Mertz said. “Obviously, I wasn’t the Gatorade national player of the year. It’s a different scale.”

And a different amount of pressure. The Badgers don’t have statues of three different Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks in front of their stadium. Florida does.

It’s unfair to expect Lagway to accomplish that, or to transform a middling program like Johnny Manziel did at Texas A&M, Teddy Bridgewater did at Louisville or Tampa Bay Tech’s Michael Penix Jr. did at Indiana and Washington. Sometimes can’t-miss quarterbacks miss.

But the allure is unmistakable, with a sturdy frame, elite arm and ready-to-work mentality.

As the hype around Lagway builds toward his public debut at next month’s spring game, Napier said it’s his job to manage those expectations. To keep him focused on improvement, details and securing his role on the team.

“He’s earning respect one day at a time,” Napier said.

And building hope with each throw along the way.

Jonathan Decoster joins Florida Gators

A few hours before the practice, the Gators announced the hiring of Jonathan Decoster as an assistant offensive line coach. He replaces Darnell Stapleton, who left last month for the NFL’s Washington Commanders.

Decoster, a Miramar native, hasn’t worked with Napier before but played at Louisiana a decade before Napier’s arrival. Decoster spent the last three seasons with the Browns and was Old Dominion’s tight ends coach in 2020.

His hire means the Gators will continue to use two offensive line coaches (co-offensive coordinator Rob Sale also coaches the position). That’s uncommon in the industry, but Napier has said it gives his team a relative advantage on the line of scrimmage, where games are won and lost in the SEC.

• • •

Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.

Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on Instagram, X and Facebook.