Exclusive: Why Baylor's Pairing of DJ Lagway, Jake Spavital is a 'Match Made in Heaven'
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Back in December of 2022, coming off visits to both Baylor and USC, five-star quarterback DJ Lagway chose to commit to the Florida Gators. Lagway, a Willis (TX) native, was the No. 3 ranked player in the 2024 recruiting class, per 247Sports. He was supposed to be the next great Gator.
But after two seasons, Lagway is back in the state of Texas, playing for his father's alma mater at Baylor. Lagway, who suffered injuries and might not have had the best coaching, threw the most interceptions in the SEC a year ago as the starter.
Now, with the Bears, Lagway is playing under offensive coordinator Jake Spavital, who runs a quarterback-friendly system. Last year, Sawyer Robertson threw for the second-most yards per game of any quarterback in the NCAA. Looking ahead to 2026, CBS Sports national writer Shehan Jeyarajah believes it's a match made in heaven.
"Spavital and Lagway will be a match made in heaven," Jeyarajah told Baylor Bears on SI. "When Lagway won Mr. Texas Football in 2024, he ran a pass-happy spread system at Willis High School. Sources in the program have told me that he’s been able to slide right back in.
"Certainly, injuries remain a concern, but much of the offseason have been spent managing his body the best way possible. Receiver play will also be a big question after great turnover. But after a messy context at Florida, Baylor should feel like home for the five-star passer."
After flashing extremely high potential in his freshman season, Lagway threw for 2264 yards last year, along with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Lagway is working on using his legs this season, along with his strong arm, to help the Bears' offense.
Can Baylor be competitive in the Big 12?
Dave Aranda is likely in for a make-or-break season in 2026. Baylor has had three losing seasons in four years and the fanbase is very uneasy. But the 2026 schedule does the Bears little favors, beginning with a game in Atlanta against Auburn.
Baylor finishes the season with games against BYU, Texas Tech, and Houston, which means Baylor needs to be winning football games prior to those games. And as Jeyarajah sees it, it's not going to be easy for the Bears to contend for a Big 12 title.
"Frankly, I don’t see a pathway to Baylor contending for the Big 12," said Jeyarajah. 'This offensive line is too big of a question mark, and there’s little reason to feel confident in the Bears stopping the run with their struggles in recent years.
"With a few breaks in the front seven, though, Baylor can be much more competitive in the conference. Home games against Colorado and Iowa State are must-wins, with the road schedule featuring some real speedbumps. Seven wins would be a decent season, but they have to play well (even in losses) in the close stretch of BYU, Texas Tech, Houston."
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Trent is the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI and also serves as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines on SI. His work has additionally been featured on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.
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