Spring practices have ended. The transfer portal has slowed to a crawl. We are entering Summer Radio SZN. As such, let’s get our minds right for the upcoming college football season by taking a 10,000-foot view of every SEC football team.
Kentucky turned the tables on the Gators. The Cats won three straight before an embarrassing 48-20 loss in The Swamp. Billy Napier gained some late momentum while under pressure. Can he build on that momentum with a young team?
Preseason Rankings
SP+: 17
Returning Production: 18
Andy Staples: 10
ESPN: 19
Who’s the Quarterback?
Entering a daunting 2024 schedule, DJ Lagway was Billy Napier’s token to get off the hot seat. The best part? He only needed to break the glass in case of an emergency. Graham Mertz was going to buy time for the freshman phenom. In October, Mertz tore his ACL and Napier had to break that glass much earlier than expected.
Florida needed Lagway to be THE man and that’s exactly what he was. His first start was against Kentucky. He carved up the Cats for 259 yards on only seven completions. The following week, he had Georgia on the ropes before an injury sent him to the sideline. Lagway had five touchdowns over the final three games of the season in wins over No. 22 LSU, No. 9 Ole Miss, and Florida State, punching the Gators’ ticket to the postseason.
Main Storyline: The Florida Schedule isn’t getting any easier
The 2024 slate was billed as the most difficult schedule in college football history. The funny thing about schedules is they don’t get easier. The SEC opponents remain the same, just flip-flopped for home and away.
Florida’s 2024 success was built on the backs of young players. They return most of their offensive line, their top running backs, and they brought in a few exceptional receivers, most notably five-star freshman Dallas Wilson. Napier caught lightning in a bottle late in the season with a youth movement. They must continue that upward trajectory or the schedule will swallow them whole.
Biggest Question: What’s going on with DJ Lagway’s Shoulder?
Nobody knew that DJ Lagway wouldn’t participate in spring practice. He finished the season and appeared to be fine. That’s why it caused quite a ruckus in Gainesville when we learned that his throwing shoulder had him sidelined for months. That’s not ideal.
They’re saying all of the right things. His father recently told Gators Online that he’s back to throwing 45-80 balls a day. It sounds like Lagway will be good to go, but the one thing everyone is missing is what he missed. The first spring practice is vital for a quarterback’s development. Will the shoulder injury stunt his growth? Is it an injury that may pop up again this fall? The fate of the Florida football team rests on his injured shoulder.
Florida Football Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|
| August 30 | LIU | Home (Gainesville, FL) |
| September 6 | South Florida | Home (Gainesville, FL) |
| September 13 | LSU | Away (Baton Rouge, LA) |
| September 20 | Miami | Away (Miami, FL) |
| September 27 | BYE | — |
| October 4 | Texas | Home (Gainesville, FL) |
| October 11 | Texas A&M | Away (College Station, TX) |
| October 18 | Mississippi State | Home (Gainesville, FL) |
| October 25 | BYE | — |
| November 1 | Georgia | Neutral (Jacksonville, FL) |
| November 8 | Kentucky | Away (Lexington, KY) |
| November 15 | Ole Miss | Away (Oxford, MS) |
| November 22 | Tennessee | Home (Gainesville, FL) |
| November 29 | Florida State | Home (Gainesville, FL) |
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