![Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) fends off Georgia Bulldogs defensive back KJ Bolden (4) during the second quarter of an NCAA college football matchup Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Florida Gators 34-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_6000,h_3375/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/213/01jc8bjr70jj7yhbx7r7.jpg "Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) fends off Georgia Bulldogs defensive back KJ Bolden (4) during the second quarter of an NCAA college football matchup Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Florida Gators 34-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]")
When DJ Lagway went down to the ground against Georgia and was carted off the field, most Florida Football fans assumed the prized QB was done for the season. He reemerged on the sidelines in crutches and in a cast, and the odds of him playing anymore felt low.
Then news came out that the injury wasn't as severe as was feared, and Lagway is considered a "game-time decision" heading into today's matchup with Texas.
So, in one breath, it is good news that Lagway might get to suit up against Texas at 12 PM. However, the concern among Gator fans is that he will get trotted out too soon, causing long-term damage in the future in a season that is already a wash.
Florida Football: Tread Lightly
Against Texas today, the Gators have almost zero chance of winning if Lagway doesn't play. Aidan Warner looked helpless against Georgia, and we have no clue about whatever happened to Colorado State transfer Clay Millen.
We here at Hail Florida Hail are not doctors, so if a trained medical professional says Lagway is cleared, then Lagway is cleared. But hamstrings can be finicky, and when you are as explosive as Lagway is, there is always going to be a path for something to go wrong. We here at Hail Florida Hail are not doctors, so if a trained medical professional says Lagway is cleared, then Lagway is cleared.
But there is also this little voice in the back of our head that can't help but wonder if the pressure and noise surrounding Napier and the backlash of reaction to Scott Stricklin's announcement Napier would be back in 2025 is going to influence Florida to play Lagway when he's not ready just to try and win and say "See, and you doubted us."
What we don't want to see is that Lagway trotted out there, similar to what Washington did to RG3 in the 2013 NFL playoffs. Yes, that was a knee versus a hamstring, but everyone knew RG3 wasn't ready to play, and he wound up tearing his ACL and LCL and was never the same again.
If Lagway plays and there is even the slightest indication he isn't right, get out and let him fight another day.