Florida Gators’ embarrassing loss to Miami Hurricanes shows big change that Billy Napier needs to make

The Florida Gators were a big topic of conversation this offseason. With the growth of the SEC this offseason, the Gators saw themselves in poor position. Not only were they in a tough spot in terms of their rebuild, they have arguably the toughest final five games in recent memory.

That schedule meant they needed to capitalize and win every possible game they could leading up to it. It started with the renewed rivalry against the Miami Hurricanes but it didn't happen. They didn't just waste the opportunity to get the win, they got blown out at home in The Swamp 41-17.

Billy Napier needs to bench Graham Mertz for D.J. Lagway

The game was embarrassing but it showed how limited the Gators were on the offensive side of the football. The offensive scheme is too gimmicky and starting quarterback Graham Mertz isn't good enough to drive the ball down the field consistently. That limitation makes it easier for defenses to defend the Gators.

The idea of freshman five-star quarterback D.J. Lagway has fascinated many  and is believed to be the future of the program. After a third-quarter hit on Mertz, Lagway got into the game and got a chance to show why he's the future of the program.

That hit on Mertz placed him in the concussion protocol.

That wasn't exactly how the Gators wanted Lagway to get his first snaps at the college level. Down 28 in week one is far from any potential plan they may have had, but it's the reality they were faced with.

The statline for Lagway wasn't exciting, as he completed 3-of-6 passes for 31 yards and an interception. The intrigue here wasn't him as a passer, which was relatively fine. It was what he did with the ball in his hands as a rushing threat. He ran for 20 yards on four carries with a 0.53 EPA/play when he carried the ball.

The threat of the run made things exciting for the Gators offense on a day where seemingly nothing could go right outside of Montrell Johnson's 71-yard touchdown run. It also showed that the Gators should consider giving him the job on a full-time basis.

We all know that Napier is on the hot seat. Yes, athletic director Scott Stricklin can say that they have all the faith in the world in Napier, but when you don't win games at a powerhouse program like Florida, the boosters will make sure changes are made. Dan Mullen made three consecutive New Year's Six bowl games and ended up getting fired.

Napier knows that Lagway is the future of this program and if he stays at Florida, he's going to be given every chance to be that guy. If he wants to keep his job after this season, Napier might need to make the change on a permanent basis even if Mertz is healthy. The fanbase needs something to be excited about and defenses need a reason to fear plays attacking down the field. Lagway can provide that in droves.

Sure, you can argue that Mertz might be the best chance to win games with his experience, but he's 5-8 as a starter with the Gators and has not been a dynamic player whatsoever. At the end of the season, if the Gators struggle, Napier could at least point to using the season to develop Lagway and how he, along with the incoming recruiting class, will have the Gators primed in year four to be successful.

Napier is at a point where he should do whatever he can to provide a spark to the team and Lagway under center as a true dual-threat could be just that.