Questions for Florida Ahead of Miami Matchup

Florida is off to yet another slow start to a season, and with a road game at No. 4 Miami next up, there are plenty of questions to ask about the Gators.

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway enters a crucial road start at Miami. | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Looking ahead to the Florida Gators' game against Miami, multiple questions come to mind.

Florida is 1-2 and trending downward. Everything looks rather bleak on the Swamp, and the whispers turned into outright screams. Like an onion, this story produces many layers. Unfortunately, like the vegetable mentioned above, the story it tells can be quite odious to many.

Will Billy Napier be the head coach one week from now?

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier fell to 20-21 in his stint with the program after last week's loss to LSU. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

While not a Magic 8 Ball, it does not look great for Napier. First, his team looks out of control at times, lacking discipline. You cannot have a player spitting on an opponent or an assistant smacking someone at all. Those are telltale signs that there is a lack of institutional control and the Gators are sputtering, on the verge of a spiral.

Plus, add in the meltdowns against South Florida and LSU, and Napier finds himself in a precarious spot. However, the athletic director who hired him just received an extension. Granted, that doesn't confirm his retention. Yet, the on-field results say that the coach boasts a sub-.500 record, and that in itself screams for dismissal.

Is DJ Lagway broken?

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway threw five picks in the loss to LSU. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

"Broken" is too strong a term. Lagway could be suffering from an elongated sophomore slump or a lack of progression. Throwing five interceptions in one game cannot be overlooked, as every pick was the result of a poor read, whether throwing late or even into double coverage. He cannot throw his way out of danger.

While he throws a great ball, his arm, at least right now, is not generational, able to compensate for failures. Remembering what he did at the end of last season to catch fire is a good start. At worst, simplify the offense just to get him a few easy throws to build confidence. From there, with the wind at his back, give Lagway more intricate plays to run, but not before he can make all of the simple ones.

Can this team beat Miami?

Yes. Florida, despite a lack of discipline and poor playcalling, will still field a quality lineup. If Lagway can accurately scan through his progressions and Napier gives the ball to Jadan Baugh frequently, the Gators have an excellent chance. On top of that, Miami occasionally finds new and inventive ways of fumbling the bag and letting games escape.

Overview

The game against Miami feels like Napier's last stand.

Going 1-3 and looking at a daunting SEC schedule that gets progressively tougher does not help him. Whatever he's holding for an emergency occasion, as far as innovative plays, needs to be shown on Saturday. The question remains, what does the program look like a week from now with the team potentially 1-3?