By: Robert Craft

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Florida starting quarterback DJ Lagway has suffered a new lower-body injury that’s forced him into a walking boot heading into the Gators fall training camp.

Lagaway’s injury marks the latest offseason ailment, and one of the many; Lagway has a hurt throwing shoulder and a lower body injury, which dated back to his high school time and was never disclosed.

Accordingly, Lagway had limited participation in the Gators’ spring training camp in March and April. He did not throw passes, instead simulating his footwork, handing the ball off to running backs.

Per Billy Napier, Lagway aided the coaching staff with communicating with quarterbacks and occasionally called plays during team drills.

At SEC Media Days in Atlanta on July 16, Lagway asserted his shoulder and lower-body injuries were behind him and that he anticipated being available for fall camp.

DJ Lagway enters his first season as Florida’s unquestioned starting quarterback in 2025 after 12 appearances and seven starts as a freshman, with 59.9 completion percent of his 192 passing attempts for 1,915 yards.

He counted 12 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He finished the year with a 95.6 deep passing grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked No. 3 among 150 qualifying FBS passers.

UF won every game Lagway started and finished in 2024; the only loss on his first-team record came against No. 2 Georgia, when he exited just before halftime with a hamstring injury, while Florida held a 10-3 lead.

Lagway was named a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, ESPN, and various other outlets for his performance in 2024. He earned a spot on the Maxwell Award preseason watch list; a trophy delivered annually since 1937 to the College Player of the Year.

I don’t think it’s this bad, but I do think there’s cause for concern. We know heading into this SEC schedule, especially since it’s the hardest in the nation, there’s likely more injuries to come. Especially if he isn’t 100% healthy by August 30th.

Backup QB development right now might be the most important thing happening at practice for the Florida Gators.

Lagway missed one week when it looked like it was a much more serious injury.

Then the guy has a tender shoulder and hernia surgery this spring thus they take it slow with him and we have people panicking that he’s made of glass.

So far he’s missed one game in his career because of injury, for some that’s a reason to jump off a cliff.

For me, Lagway is QB1 and expectations are high.