DJ Lagway's 'Burning Desire' to Face Georgia After Injury

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- It looked like the Florida Gators would upset rival Georgia for the first win in the rivalry since 2020.

Then-freshman quarterback DJ Lagway, making his second-straight start since a season-ending injury to starter Graham Mertz, had thrown a long touchdown pass to Aidan Mizell and led the Gators on a field goal drive to take a 10-3 lead in the second quarter.

After Florida's defense forced a three-and-out, giving the Gators a chance to add to the lead before the half, excitement turned into silence as Lagway fell while scrambling on first down, clutching his left hamstring.

He exited his first Florida-Georgia game on the medical cart, returning to the sideline in crutches as Florida's lead turned into a 34-20 loss.

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) sits on the bench after being injured in the first half against Georgia. | Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A year later, and in the first game without the head coach that recruited him, Lagway finds himself extra motivated for Saturday's game against the Bulldogs.

"Yes, for sure. I've been waiting for this game for a long time, and I'm excited to get out there," Lagway said last Monday during the post-Billy Napier firing press conference. "Like I said, I'm a big, competitive guy. I just love to get out there and really fight with my guys."

Under interim head coach Billy Gonzales, the Gators have had two weeks to prepare for the fifth-ranked Bulldogs, who are coming off three-straight SEC wins and an eight-point win over Ole Miss two weeks ago.

Lagway has had his own struggles since that Georgia game a year ago, both with injuries and on-field production. After leading the Gators to four-straight wins to end the 2024 season, the former five-star dealt with a shoulder issue, core issue and ankle injury throughout the offseason, forcing him to miss all of spring camp and most of fall camp.

He has thrown for 1,513 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions as the Gators have trudged to a 3-4 start in 2025.

Despite his struggles - and entering the first game of the post-Napier era - Gonzales believes Lagway has practiced with an extra chip on his shoulder this week.

"I think any time you don't have an opportunity to finish what you started in the game that you started last year, there's a burning desire. A great player always wants to play," he said on Wednesday. "They always want to compete consistently. They always want to. And, you know, he's going to want to take the fight to anybody when he lines up against them."

DJ Lagway is in need of a big game against Georgia. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

Lagway won't have the benefit of comfortability as the Gators have reorginized its offense in the wake of Napier's firing. He will have a new head coach in Gonzales, a new offensive play-caller in Ryan O'Hara and a new gameday quarterbacks coach in Steve Spurrier Jr.

O'Hara, Lagway's usual quarterbacks coach, is moving from the sideline to the booth for his new role.

While the offensive organization has changed, Lagway is handling the changes around the program well, according to Gonzales.

"I'm excited. He's had a really good week of practice as well," Gonzales said.

Florida will need Lagway to tap into his play from last season to salvage anything out of this season. With No. 5 Georgia this week and games against No. 7 Ole Miss and No. 14 Tennessee on the schedule (along with unranked Kentucky and FSU), there is a sense of urgency for the Gators to turn things around before the new era with a new head coach begins in 2026.

And it starts with Lagway on Saturday.

"I just feel like this game is just gonna showcase him, and when he gets to play for the whole game, you're gonna see," junior safety Bryce Thornton said.

Kickoff between the Gators and the Bulldogs is at 3:30 p.m. ET with television coverage on ABC.

More From Florida Gators on SI