GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida might be without quarterback Graham Mertz for Saturday night's game against lower-division Samford, potentially paving the way for highly touted freshman DJ Lagway to make his first career start.
Mertz suffered a concussion during the third quarter of last week's 41-17 home loss to No. 19 Miami. On Monday, Coach Billy Napier stated that the Gators are "checking boxes in protocol" concerning Mertz's recovery and noted that Lagway would take all the first-team reps in practice later in the day.
Mertz, who transferred from Wisconsin, had his worst performance in two seasons with the Gators, completing 11 of 20 passes for 91 yards and an interception. In relief, Lagway led the Gators to a touchdown, threw an interception in three series, and rushed for 20 yards.
"We would play a brand of football that reflects his experience and his strengths, no different than we do each week," Napier said. "But I've got a ton of confidence in DJ. We've had him [on campus] since January. He's a completely different person and player than he was when he first arrived.
"He's got a really good knowledge of our system."
Lagway, a five-star prospect from Willis, Texas, was the 2023 Gatorade Player of the Year and the consensus No. 1 quarterback in the country. During his senior year at Willis High, he threw for 4,604 yards and 58 touchdowns while also leading his team in rushing with 957 yards and 16 scores.
"You would like to think that he just finished preparing as if he was one play away from being out there," Napier added. "You have to start your week as if you're going to be the guy, knowing that the entire building is going to be depending on you when you get that opportunity. Really, that applies to all backups.
"I think you want a culture where the backup is working consistently as if he may have to play because this is a game where players get hurt."
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