DJ Lagway was alleged to be the important thing to Florida‘s success. As an alternative, the quarterback’s sophomore season with the Gators has been an abject catastrophe.
Certain, seeing the coach who recruited him to Gainesville and initially believed in him, Billy Napier, fired could not have been nice for his growth. That does not clarify his disastrous recreation towards Kentucky on Saturday, although.
As soon as considered one of many high younger up-and-coming quarterbacks in faculty soccer, Lagway accomplished simply 11-of-19 passes for 83 yards, one landing, and three interceptions in a 38-7 loss to the Wildcats.
Issues bought so dangerous that interim head coach Billy Gonzales benched Lagway at halftime, however that wasn’t meant to be a punishment. Per Gonzales on Monday, he was attempting to save lots of his younger quarterback.
“We have been struggling. He was having a tricky time, nevertheless it’s not all on him, and I informed him that. As a coach, it’s our duty. If somebody’s struggling, assist them out or take them out in order that they’re not put in that place to should preserve combating by means of it,” Gonzales said in a information convention (h/t On3).
Florida Gators attempting to get DJ Lagway refocused
Finally, Gonzales’ determination to bench Lagway had nothing to do along with his perception, or lack thereof, within the Florida quarterback. It was a tactical determination, and it was an acknowledgment that irrespective of how good of an athlete you might be, typically you simply haven’t got “it” on sure days.
“I informed him, ‘I do know we’re not Main League Baseball, however you’ve bought an incredible quantity of expertise. You’re a fantastic quarterback. However similar to in baseball, if a pitcher’s struggling, what do you do? You get the subsequent man in. It doesn’t imply he’s not a fantastic pitcher. It simply means it wasn’t his day,’” Gonzales defined.
The Gators turned to freshman Tramell Jones Jr. within the second half of that Kentucky loss, however that doesn’t imply Lagway will not get the beginning transferring ahead. In truth, Gonzales mentioned that Lagway will take the primary crew reps this week because the Gators put together to tackle No. 6 Ole Miss.
“I wished to carry him out. Let him refocus, collect himself, and hopefully flip it right into a studying expertise that’s going to make him higher this week as we put together for Ole Miss,” Gonzales mentioned.
