The season opener for Florida football did not go how the Gator Nation expected, with Billy Napier and Co. taking a 41-17 whipping in the Swamp that has seemingly sent the program into a tailspin.
Between the results on the field and the responses from social media, the late summer temperature in Gainesville is not the only thing that is steaming hot. The third-year head coach finds himself in probably the most precarious position in college football following the embarrassing home defeat — Florida’s first home-opening loss since 1989
With the dust settled, CBS Sports writer Will Backus tackled the good, bad and ugly scenarios for each SEC team after their Week 1 matchups and had an interesting, yet unsurprising, entry for the Orange and Blue.
Good: Freshman QB DJ Lagway
“Freshman quarterback DJ Lagway could be a much-needed spark. Graham Mertz wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire prior to his debut — though he has shown throughout his career that he’s capable of more — and Lagway at least looked exciting when he entered the game,” Backus begins.
“He brings a dimension that Mertz simply can’t with legs and definitely has some juice in his arm. He led a nice touchdown drive late in the game.”
Bad: Graham Mertz’s injury
“Yes, Lagway is a flashy, fun toy, and Florida should give him some looks regardless of Mertz’s status. But the Gators are going to need a veteran to navigate their bear of a schedule,” he continues.
“Plus, no matter how he looked Saturday, Mertz proved in 2023 that he’s one of the country’s more underrated passers, and he’s more than capable of getting the job done. ”
Ugly: Offensive line was offensive
“A lot, honestly, but Florida’s offensive line has a special place of dishonor. Lagway did have an interception that wasn’t really his fault. He barely had time to set his feet before a Miami edge rusher was all over him,” Backus notes.
“That was a consistent theme for the Gators, who may as well have had a revolving door protecting the quarterback. Miami had three sacks, eight tackles for loss and two quarterback pressures.”
Next up for the Gators
The Gators will get a chance to even up their 2024 regular season record against the Samford Bulldogs next Saturday inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.
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