Florida freshman QB DJ Lagway ruled out of ‘Cocktail Party’ with a left hamstring injury
JACKSONVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 02: Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) rides a cart to the locker room after an injury during the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Florida Gators on November 2, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fl.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Florida quarterback DJ Lagway was ruled out of Saturday’s game against No. 2 Georgia with a left hamstring injury.
Lagway returned to the sideline in the second half with a wrap on his leg and using crutches, the second Gators quarterback to go down this season.
Replays showed Lagway grabbing his hamstring during a 3-yard run in the second quarter. He was carted off the field to a loud ovation and with the Gators leading 10-3 in rivalry known as "The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party."
Starting quarterback Graham Mertz is already out for the season with a torn ligament in his left knee, so the Gators had to turn to walk-on Aidan Warner against one of the best defenses in the Southeastern Conference.
Lagway, a highly touted freshman from Texas, completed 2 of 6 passes for 47 yards, including a 43-yarder to Aidan Mizell for a touchdown.
How did the Gators end up with a walk-on playing meaningful snaps in a meaningful game? Florida coach Billy Napier has lost seven scholarship QBs earlier than expected during his three years in Gainesville.
Emory Jones and Carlos Del Rio-Wilson transferred after Napier’s first spring in 2022. Anthony Richardson declared for the NFL draft after one up-and-down season. Backup Jalen Kitna was dismissed following his arrest on child pornography charges. Former Ohio State transfer Jack Miller struggled to stay healthy and moved on.
Napier withdrew a scholarship offer to four-star commitment Marcus Stokes after video emerged of him singing lyrics that contained a racial slur. And signee Jaden Rashada never made it to Gainesville after a name, image and likeness deal worth nearly $14 million fell through.
Rashada ended up at Arizona State for a year and then transferred to Georgia. He’s now suing Napier and a prominent booster over the NIL deal.
Colorado State transfer Clay Millen is the third scholarship QB on Florida’s roster, but Warner has been ahead of him on Napier’s depth chart.