Florida Gators set sign $600 million over……..
DJ Lagway would be shocked if another person called plays for Florida’s offense the following season. Lagway, the quarterback and top recruit in Florida’s 2024 class, believes Gators head coach Billy Napier will continue to carry out his duties even though there are many social media rumors circulating that suggest UF will bring in a new offensive playcaller early in the team’s offseason. At Friday’s Under Armour All-America Game media day, Lagway informed reporters, “From what I understand, coach Napier will 100% call the plays.”
During the Early Signing Period, Napier—who also coaches quarterbacks for the University of Florida—suggested that adjustments to offensive operations might be considered. Earlier in December, Florida fired defensive assistants Sean Spencer and Corey Raymond and reassigned director of strength and conditioning Mark Hocke. Napier did not know at the time whether changes to the offensive coaching staff—like adding a stand-alone play-caller—would be required to enhance a team that finished the previous season ranked No. 9 in the Southeastern Conference in terms of scoring (28.4 points per game). “That has to be ascertained. Regarding his assessment of Florida’s offensive staff, Napier stated on December 20 that “we’re in the middle of that, much like we discussed before.” “We will examine it; there is just one box.”
Florida’s offensive coordinator title is technically held by UF offensive line coach Rob Sale, whose contract with the program is due to expire on Jan. 31, 2024. So are the contracts of running backs coach Jabbar Juluke and co-offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton. Whether Napier retains these assistants and maintains the Gators’ current offensive approach or not, Lagway believes his development is in the right hands. Having been recruited by Napier and Co. to Florida since March 2022, he’s had a front-row seat to observe Anthony Richardson’s first-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft and Graham Mertz’s efficient performance under the head coach’s tutelage at UF over the last two seasons.
“I think he modifies things. Like, it’s different from when Graham Mertz and Anthony Richardson played,” Lagway said in reference to Napier’s versatility as a playcaller. “He is familiar with his players. It’s not like a glove fitting, in my opinion, because he can adjust it to the quarterback’s advantages and disadvantages.” In 2022, Napier used Richardson’s explosive athleticism to form a three-headed rushing attack. Richardson combined with Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson Jr. to gain over 2,200 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground. recognizing the strength of the quarterback’s arm,Napier dialed up a vertical passing scheme with Richardson’s average target depth of 11.5 yards, per Pro Football Focus, the sixth-highest mark among 82 qualifying FBS passers that year. Mertz, meanwhile, had a career year under Napier following his offseason transfer from Wisconsin, where he started for three campaigns. He set single-season highs with a 72.9% completion rate, 2,903 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2023, all while tossing a mere three interceptions.
“[Napier is] adjusting for the players instead of letting the player adjust to his system,” Lagway said. “That’s what I like about it.” Since Napier will be teaching Lagway an offensive scheme in his orange and blue debut, all eyes will be on it. Lagway, a 2024 graduate of Willis High School in Texas, is the first quarterback to enroll at Florida since Jeff Driskel in 2011.