Desmond Howard Names Historic College Football Program With a 'Culture Issue'

"I had really, really high expectations of Florida coming into this season, I really did," Howard said. "DJ Lagway, when he's healthy, he's one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football. We know they have talent all over the field. But when you watch them against USF, lack of discipline. That's a byproduct of the culture. I think they have a culture there that's not indicative of winning. ... I think it's a culture issue, not a talent issue."

Florida's Undisciplined Play Proves Costly

As Howard mentioned, the Gators were undisciplined against USF. The Gators committed 11 penalties for 103 yards and had one turnover. This was a drastic change from their first game against the Long Island Sharks, when they had no penalties or turnovers.

Lagway also hasn't had a strong start to the season. He's completing 74.5% of his passes, but for just 342 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. He also has rushed it nine times for just 12 yards. Against the Bulls, Lagway threw for 222 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Brutal SEC Schedule Ahead for Gators

The loss was enhanced due to Florida's upcoming gauntlet of a schedule. Florida plays eight ranked teams during the remainder of the season. That starts this weekend against the No. 3 LSU Tigers on the road. But the other teams are:

• At No. 5 Miami Hurricanes (Sept. 20)
• No. 7 Texas Longhorns (Oct. 4)
• At No. 16 Texas A&M Aggies (Oct. 11)
• Neutral Site, No. 6 Georgia Bulldogs (Nov. 1)
• At No. 17 Ole Miss Rebels (Nov. 15)
• No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers (Nov. 22)
• No. 10 Florida State Seminoles (Nov. 29)

The setback against USF wasn’t just about one loss in September; it set a concerning tone for what’s coming. Florida now enters a stretch that includes eight ranked opponents, starting with LSU in Baton Rouge.

For Lagway, it’s a chance to grow into the quarterback many expect him to be, but the margin for error has vanished. If the Gators don’t clean up penalties and find more consistency on offense, the gauntlet ahead could turn a promising season into another frustrating one. Saturday night’s matchup against LSU will reveal whether Florida can reset quickly or risk falling further behind.

The Gators and LSU will play at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC.