Florida head coach Billy Napier spoke at length about quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag]’s performance against Florida State after the win, noting he made some true freshman mistakes while also acknowledging his team could play better around the first-year signal caller.
Napier also praised senior running back Montrell Johnson Jr., who eclipsed 3,000 rushing yards for his career, calling him “everything you would want a player to be, in terms of representing the program.”
Both offensive leaders met with the media after the win. Here is everything they said.
Lagway on getting a beating FSU, victory cigar
“It was my first time ever smoking anything. It was cool just to have experience with the guys and just enjoy a team win. It was ugly, but we got the dub and that’s all that really matters.”
On playing at Doak Campbell Stadium
“It’s pretty cool just to see the stadium. You always watch and see it on TV, the horse and stuff like that in the middle of the field. It’s pretty cool to go there and see that and then go play and get the dub, especially in Doak Stadium, so it was good.
Johnson on going out on a winning note
“It means a lot for the future of this program, just knowing that these guys, myself included, have set the platform and the standard for the guys in the future just to go out and make this program great again.”
Jonhson on post-game flag planting
“(Coach Napier) kind of addressed it in the locker room. He was like there’s no place for this. We’re not that type of program, and again there’s no place for this. It’s football, and we’re trying to become a winning program and winning programs don’t do that.”
Lagway on his highlight play, escaping a sack and converting
“I don’t know. (It’s) just playing football, just going out there having heart. Just competing. It wasn’t the prettiest game. There’s a lot of mistakes that we made offensively, and just going out there when my team needs me to make a play, you just got to make a play. Just doing everything I can do to get the W.”
Were you just churning your feet there?
“Yes, sir. I just kept churning. I felt like he kind of pushed off me, so I pushed off him back and got off of him. My helmet was all screwed up. I really couldn’t see Chim(ere Dike). I just threw it to a spot, and he was there, so it was a great play by Chim to adjust the route.”
Johnson on the play
“I’m sitting on the sideline and like, ‘No way he gets out of this.’ He gets out of it. He throws a dart to Chim. This man is great.”
Lagway on overall health
“I’m feeling a lot better since LSU. It’s a week-by-week process just to get it back. I’m starting to be able to move a lot better now, as y’all can see. I feel like it’s getting better each week and it just continues to progress.
On touchdown to go up 14-0 before the half
“It was huge, especially because we had some communication issues in the red zone that led to the pick. So, it was huge for me to come back to (Marcus) Burke. He felt like he let everybody down, but it’s a team effort. We just all just had to get on the same page. It felt great to go back to him on that route and get that touchdown.”
Johnson on Lagway’s leadership
“As a leader, I’ve seen a lot of maturity at his age that you don’t see a lot, just kind of becoming that natural leader that the team needs right now. whenever guys mess up, a lot of young guys don’t want to speak up, but he speaks up. He speaks his mind, and that’s going to be great in future.
Lagway on ‘off-schedule’ throws
“Just really not giving up on a play. I feel like it just comes with the chemistry of the receivers. Scramble drill and just knowing where they’re supposed to be, getting to their spot and just making plays. At the end of the day, it’s football. It’s what you used to play in the backyard on Thanksgiving with your family. It’s just what it is.
Johnson on rushing for 3,000 yards
“I really don’t know how to feel about it, honestly. Obviously, it means a lot to me, but I just feel like going out there and getting the win with the team and just going out the right way that means more to me.”
On dealing with injuries this season
“It’s been a lot of ups and downs through my journey. Just kind of being a leader that the guys need and being a vocal point when the guys need just to keep high when I’m feeling low.”
How was it to see the players behind you step up
“It’s been a been great just knowing like that those guys are listening to me, just taking the things that I’m given them and just applying it to the field. It shows me that I have grown so much as a leader.”
Lagway on the turning point of the season
“I’d say really just after that Mississippi State game, going on to a bye week and just us competing and seeing what we got and the guys that we got. We just got to go out there compete, and I feel like that’s when we kind of developed our new mojo.
“We were going to play harder than everybody. Hey, no matter who steps on the field, I’m gonna play harder than them, and it’s going to lead to Ws.”
Johnson on ‘spot-the-ball’ mentality
“Spot that ball means a lot to us. It doesn’t matter who’s on the field, the Patriots, the Steelers, spot the ball and we’re going to get after them. I think that our strength coach came up with that. Throughout the week, he always says it and that became the thing for us.”
Johnson on competitive practices this week
“Wednesdays and Tuesdays are always competitive. The defense and offense always go at it. A lot of times, we get on the trail. But those those practices mean a lot to us. That’s like the foundation of this program and if we could be great throughout those days, we’re going to be great on Saturday.”
Do you ever ask for an off day?
“In the back of your head you kind of feel like that, but the work is the work. You got to do it.”
Lagway on recruiting
“Oh yeah, I’m definitely going to be involved with the transfer portal and recruiting classes, but the biggest thing is just trying to keep the guys that we have here. That’s the biggest thing is just making sure everybody’s locked in so we can add and build on to what we’re having, this momentum to the end of the season.”
Is there some excitement among the returners?
“Most definitely. There’s a lot of guys that could possibly get out and go to the league this year that are actually thinking about coming back next year and making a run. And that means a lot because you got to have guys behind you.
“You see this week, like you see this game I didn’t play my best game, but you got guys like Montrell Johnson running the ball making plays, the defense making a heck of a plays getting us on the field. So you got to have the guys around you.
What do you say to recruits who ask why they should be a Gator?
“I just say the big plays, especially a receiver. You’re going to get the ball. We’re going to push the ball down the field. You know you’re going to make some big plays. You’re going to have fun doing it.”
Johnson on defensive performance
Johnson: “I would say that first bye week we had, it was a huge turning point for the team, especially the defense. I don’t know what clicked for them, but something clicked they’ve been playing lights out these past few weeks.”
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