Gators Interim Dishes on Decision to Bench DJ Lagway

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- DJ Lagway's benching seemed inevitable after multiple poor performances this season, and after throwing three interceptions in the first half against Kentucky, it became reality.

With the Florida Gators trailing 24-7 at half to the Wildcats, interim head coach Billy Gonzales made the change, electing to go with true freshman Tramell Jones Jr. for the second half. Lagway finished the game 11-for-19, 83 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

"Well that was my decision," Gonzales explained after the 38-7 loss, the most lopsided loss against Kentucky since 1950. "I think we had a rough first half, and I thought it might be good for him just to gather and look at it from a coach’s point and a coach’s point from the sideline. But yeah, we need to to play better all around, not just him, everybody needs to play a little bit better, not just him, and I’ll take the blame for everything."

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway threw three interceptions in the first half against Kentucky. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The game marked Lagway's third multi-interception game this season and moved his total interceptions up to 12, surpassing his total from last season.

Gonzales said the coaching staff will take a look at the film before deciding if Lagway, who has started the last 13 games dating back to last season, will remain the team's starter.

“I don’t think anybody ever plans or wants that to happen but I think he’s a mature young man and I think that he’s going to do what he can to help the team in whatever it looks like," center Jake Slaughter said. "I was super happy coming over, he was warming us up, warming up Tramell, he was the leader we all know him to be. So I expect nothing different going forward, whatever his role is.”

In Lagway's place, Jones Jr. went 9-for-17 for 60 yards in three drives. The Gators punted and turned the ball over on downs twice with Jones Jr., who was making his second appearance this season, running the offense.

"I think he came in and he did what he was supposed to do, having a chance to have a chance to try to move the ball, and we had penalties," Gonzales said. "You start moving the ball and you get a penalty and you get behind third and long again, you’re not going to be successful that way, so again we’ve got to be better, and I keep saying it over and over, I want these players to continue to play hard. We’ve got to put them in better situations, but I’ll take the blame on this one."

Florida Gators quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. replaced DJ Lagway for the second half. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

While Lagway's performance was the most notable, it was not the entire reason Florida lost. The Gators' defense gave up a season-high 38 points as Kentucky quarterback Cutter Boley threw for two touchdowns and running backs Dante Dowdell and Seth McGowan combined for 196 yards and three scores.

"It's really shocking, honestly. It's really embarrassing, and I did not know we were going to come out and play like that," linebacker Myles Graham. "I'm really blindsided just like everybody else is. So, we got to look in the mirror, and we got to do better. That's completely unacceptable, and that's not the Gator standard."

Graham did not give any thoughts on Lagway's benching, saying "That's not a question for me, honestly. I just control what I can control."

Now at 3-6, Florida sits one loss away from its fourth losing season in five years and second season without a bowl game in three years. The Gators travel to No. 6 Ole Miss (8-1) next week before home games against No. 23 Tennessee (6-3) and Florida State (4-5).

"I think if you take a look at what we do and what we need to be and it’s unacceptable and I’m going to put me up in front and say that’s on me," Gonzales said. "I’ll take the blame for this loss, 100 percent, so we got to be better, and we’ve got to be better, I’ve got to be better, make sure these players continue forward.”

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