Florida injury pushes team further down bleak path

Nothing is going right for the Florida Gators this season.

On Wednesday, head coach Billy Napier shared that starting cornerback Dijon Johnson (knee) underwent season-ending surgery. This is a significant blow to the Gators defense, which has been the team's only bright spot during its 1-3 start.

Dijon Johnson has been key member of strong Florida Gators defense

Florida ranks No. 26 nationally (out of 136 programs) in scoring defense, allowing 16 points per game, and No. 31 in total defense, giving up an average of 284.3 yards per game. Except for one coverage breakdown on a 66-yard touchdown to South Florida Bulls wide receiver Keshaun Singleton in an 18-16 loss, Johnson has been stout. In 39 coverage snaps at Associated Press No. 4 LSU Tigers (4-0, 1-0 in SEC) and No. 2 Miami Hurricanes (4-0), the junior cornerback allowed two receptions on five targets for eight yards, an interception and a pass breakup, per Pro Football Focus. 

As promising as the defense has been, the offense has been equally as horrid, ranking No. 101 in the country in scoring (22 points per game) and No. 110 in total offense (328.3 yards per game). Sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway is coming off a disastrous two-game stretch. Against Miami, one week after throwing five interceptions at LSU, Lagway was 12-of-23 for 61 yards.

Florida's schedule doesn't get any easier from here, with its next two games against the No. 10 Texas Longhorns (3-1) and No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies (3-0). It also plays the Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-0), who defeated the 2024 Big 12 champion Arizona State Sun Devils (3-1, 1-0 in Big 12) earlier this season, on Oct. 18. Other upcoming matchups include the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0 in SEC), No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels (4-0, 2-0 in SEC), No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers (3-1, 0-1 in SEC) and No. 8 Florida State Seminoles (3-0).

Several of those teams have offenses capable of taking advantage of a compromised Gators secondary. The 2025 season has quickly gotten away from Florida, and losing Johnson could turn the year from bad to worse.