![Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) looks on during fall football practice at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 2, 2025. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_5173,h_2909/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/213/01k1wt19wza68rfqzqkv.jpg "Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) looks on during fall football practice at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 2, 2025. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]")
It has felt at times like the Florida Gators' offseason, and in particular DJ Lagway's, has been one step forward, one step back, one step forward, one step back.
Lagway missed all of spring camp, was on track to hit the ground running once fall camp opened, only to wind up in a walking boot for a few days due to a calf issue.
At his press conference on Monday, Billy Napier tried to calm any fears people had that Lagway won't be ready to go come the opener against LIU.
DJ Lagway on track in his recovery
Lagway threw during the public viewing session on Saturday, and he looked great. He was sporting a sleeve on his left calf, but his ball otherwise had zip to it, and he hit multiple deep shots in stride.
Granted, he was throwing against air and wasn't having to move around the pocket, but he looked like he would be ready to go if needed this season.
Napier touched on Lagway's recovery progress:
"I think it was good for you guys to see him. I think you guys were probably a little more relieved than everybody else. We've been watching the guy work all summer, you know."
"Obviously, he had a little bit of a setback with the calf, but I think he's on the right track, and you know he threw in public the other day, and everybody's all excited about that. The guy's been working hard all summer, and certainly, hopefully, he'll be able to do more and more as we go day-to-day."
Fourth known issue for Lagway
After the Samford game last year, Napier and Lagway acknowledged the star QB had been dealing with shoulder soreness during the 2024 fall camp. Lagway then injured his hamstring against Georgia and missed spring camp to heal his shoulder, along with a hernia.
So, if we are to read between the lines, because that's what we do here at Hail Florida Hail, Napier admits that Lagway isn't 100% when he states, "Hopefully, he'll be able to do more and more as we go day-to-day."
The concern from Gator fans isn't so much this calf injury by itself, but rather the slow accumulation of "minor" injuries that will have everyone holding their breath, wondering "what's next?"
Florida opens its 2025 campaign against LIU and USF, before hitting the road for massive matchups against LSU and Miami.