Billy Napier assesses Florida Gators QBs after first week of camp
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators opened fall training camp last week with several position battles to settle over the next month. One spot with no competition is at quarterback, where UF has one of the best rooms in the country with Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway.
Mertz returns as the starter following his season-ending injury in the final SEC game last year, and there’s no doubt about who’s QB1 on the team. Lagway, a five-star recruit, enrolled early and showed in the spring that he’s capable of contributing as a freshman.
Florida coach Billy Napier is expecting an even stronger season from Mertz after his breakout year in 2023, throwing for a career-high 2,903 yards and 20 touchdowns while leading the SEC in completion percentage (72.9%) and fewest interceptions (3).
Through the first week of training camp, Napier said the sixth-year senior has been “phenomenal” in the practices so far. However, he admits the Gators need to play better around him on offense and catch up with where the defense is at as a unit.
“Graham’s great. He’s just got great energy about himself, affects other people in a positive way. Extremely detailed. Great note-taker. Great in the unit meetings. Great in the position meetings, and he’s a pro,” Napier said.
“I think offense usually takes a little while to get in some rhythm. We got to kind of get the install down and get the finer details all around him. Protect him, get open for him, and then be on the same page and try to stay on schedule. But yeah, Graham Mertz is doing a great job leading the team.”
Florida starting left tackle Austin Barber added, “Graham has gotten super comfortable. Going out there and even yelling at the defense, leading us. It’s been really good for Graham and all of us. I’ll listen to Graham because I know what he’s talking about. He’s about the work. As a leader, you need that in someone.”
DJ Lagway’s growth
While there’s no quarterback controversy this fall, there’s some suspense surrounding Lagway and what role he will have in 2024. He made a strong first impression in the spring game, throwing for 173 yards on 12 of 21 passing.
Since that showing, Napier detailed how Lagway has grown over the course of the offseason. He revealed the UF quarterbacks have two “4D Gator lesson plans” each week throughout the summer that they are required to attend.
“Just overall comfort level in the system,” Napier said of Lagway’s improvement. “I had a conversation with him the other day coming off after practice one, and you say, ‘I know that wasn’t perfect, the practice day is never perfect, but just think about where you’re at now compared to where you were at you know after spring number one.’
“And I think all of the things that we do with the quarterback throughout the summer. … he just jumped into that for the first time and I think he made tremendous growth. His knowledge of defense, and I think he’s improved fundamentally, too. I think the ball’s coming out more consistently, his feet have been polished up. He’s getting better.”
Napier added that Lagway is taking reps with the No. 2 offense, although the staff has some packages for him to get into the game with the starters. Barber has been impressed with the five-star quarterback when he gets his opportunities.
“He’s a gamer. He’s an athlete. That’s really all I can say,” Barber said. “He looks the part.”
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