For Kentucky to extend Florida streak, it will have to spoil hyped QB’s first SEC start

A new era of Florida football begins this weekend when five-star freshman quarterback DJ Lagway takes over the reins of the Gators offense.

Lagway will make his second start of the season but first since former starter Graham Mertz suffered a season-ending knee injury.

“Guy is a rookie and it’s his show,” Florida coach Billy Napier said of Lagway this week, according to The Gainesville Sun . “I think he’s going to work extremely hard. He’s been preparing as if he was one play away from being the guy the whole time.”

For Kentucky fans, it would be understandable if there is some apprehension about Lagway moving into the starting role.

It has been 21 years since Chris Leak made his first career start for Florida in what ended up being perhaps the most heartbreaking of the 31 consecutive Kentucky losses in the series. While that game is more remembered for the interception UK quarterback Jared Lorenzen threw while attempting to avoid a sack late in the fourth quarter, it was Leak who helped lead the Gators back from a 21-3 deficit in a preview of what would be a legendary Florida career capped with a national championship.

Luckily for Kentucky, most of the bad history against Florida has been erased in recent years.

Kentucky has won three straight in the series for the first time since 1951 and has won four of its last six meetings with the Gators. UK has won two of the last three games in Gainesville.

But Lagway presents a challenge in his own right, regardless of positive or negative history.

“Obviously, Graham had a lot more experience, but DJ is a talent,” UK coach Mark Stoops said.

Stoops pointed to Lagway’s game-tying touchdown pass last week against Tennessee — a 29-yard heave on third-and-19 with 29 seconds remaining — that sent the game to overtime as proof of his play-making ability.

“I think that throw alone that you saw, the talent that he has is going to give him a lot of confidence to put that game in overtime,” Stoops said. “And the way he not only has great athletic ability — big strong guy — but the throw that he made to tie that game is quite impressive.

“And so we knew going into the game we have to be ready for both (quarterbacks) anyway, and now it’s on him.”

Even when Mertz was healthy, Lagway was playing regular snaps. He has recorded at least three passes and at least four runs in each of Florida’s games this season.

When Mertz was sidelined by injury earlier in the season, Lagway completed 18 of 25 passes for 456 yards and three touchdowns in a win over FCS Samford in his first career start.

“There’s been enough split snaps that you can see DJ’s played in and is very comfortable playing in big environments,” UK defensive coordinator Brad White said. “So, this system is very much similar. Didn’t matter who the quarterback was in the game. You sort of prepare for that.

“Obviously, you understand the skill set he brings. Really elite level arm talent, mobile. He looks comfortable and efficient in the system and where to go with the ball, what to do with it. So, will be a big challenge for us.”

Listed at 6-foot-3, 239 pounds, Lagway was rated as the No. 1 quarterback in the high school class of 2024 by Rivals and 247Sports. The Willis, Texas, native’s commitment was seen as a major coup for an embattled Napier, whose job security at Florida has only drawn more tenuous this season.

Perhaps Napier’s last chance to remain Gators coach would be a strong showing from Lagway that gives hope for the future.

But Kentucky can ill afford to be the SEC team Lagway announces his rival against.

“To be bowl eligible, we really need this game,” defensive line coach Anwar Stewart said. “We just got to have a sense of urgency. If we just go out and just play Wildcat football, we’ll get back on that plane with smiles.”

Lagway has thrown four interceptions, compared to five touchdowns in his backup role, so he is not a finished product. A Kentucky defense that has slowed Georgia and Ole Miss star quarterbacks Carson Beck and Jaxson Dart will be looking to make a statement after Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia continued his strong season in a win over the Wildcats last week.

Kentucky will be without star cornerback Maxwell Hairston again this week due to an undisclosed injury. The pressure will be on a group of young cornerbacks led by JQ Hardaway and DJ Waller, who White acknowledged did not have their best performance against Vanderbilt, to hold up against Lagway and a deep group of play-making Florida receivers.

Do that, and UK fans won’t have to worry about a repeat of Leach’s debut just more than 20 years later.

“Nothing about Florida’s system is easy,” White said. “Each quarterback had brought their unique skill set, but both understand how to operate within that system, and that’s the important piece.”

Saturday

Kentucky at Florida

When: 7:45 p.m.

TV: SEC Network

Records: Kentucky 3-3 (1-3 SEC), Florida 3-3 (1-2 SEC)

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Series: Florida leads 53-21

Last meeting: Kentucky won 33-14 on Sept. 30, 2023, in Lexington

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