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Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier looks on during spring football practice at Heavener Football Complex at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, March 6, 2025. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun] Matt Pendleton / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

FSU football rival Florida Gators football gets bad quarterback news

Originally posted on Florida State Seminoles on SI
By Dustin Lewis | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The majority of college football teams around the country have already kicked off preseason camp or are set to do so in the coming days. That includes the Florida State Seminoles, with the team set to hit the field on Wednesday, July 30.

The Seminoles went 0-3 against their rivals in 2024, falling short against the Florida Gators, Miami Hurricanes, and Clemson Tigers. A year after defeating all three teams, Florida State dropped off in improbable fashion.

Florida surprised pundits last season, finishing 8-5 despite facing one of the toughest schedules in the country. The Gators were powered by true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway, a former five-star prospect who stepped in as the starter when Graham Mertz went down with a season-ending injury.

Lagway appeared in 12 games, completing 115/192 passes for 1,915 yards with 12 touchdowns to nine interceptions while rushing 51 times for 101 yards. He went 6-1 as a starter, including leading the Gators to a 31-11 victory against Florida State.

The Texas native did get banged up last season, suffering hamstring and shoulder injuries. Florida shut Lagway down from throwing during the spring as he recovered from his first year in Gainesville.

Going into fall camp, Lagway is already dealing with a slight setback. According to On3's Zach Abolverdi, the sophomore quarterback is currently sporting a boot after injuring his calf in a recent workout. It's unclear when Lagway will be able to return to action.

The Gators do have some other quarterbacks on their roster such as graduate transfer Harrison Bailey, redshirt senior Clay Millen, redshirt sophomore Aidan Warner, and former FSU commit and true freshman Tramell Jones Jr.

Lagway can't afford to miss much time with the program replacing its top two leading receivers from last year.

The Florida Gators open their season against the Long Island University Sharks on Saturday, August 30.