Heading into 2025, Billy Napier, the coach labeled “most to prove,” has once again found himself staring down the barrel of expectations he hasn’t yet met. Florida’s Orange and Blue Spring Game? It came and went without a single play on TV, and even more telling, without their big hope really doing anything. Napier’s contract, which runs through January 2029, does have that hefty $26 million safety net. But DJ Lagway, the prized freshman QB and centerpiece of Gators’ offensive rebuild, was essentially a ceremonial participant. The 6’2″ five-star barely broke a sweat, just handing off the ball five times and not throwing a single pass. For a fanbase that ended 2024 clinging to hope, this wasn’t the launchpad they envisioned. With Lagway’s setback, Napier’s $26M safety net is starting to look a little frayed.

Billy Napier tried to calm the waters postgame, offering what he framed as a positive update on Lagway’s recovery. According to the HC, the shoulder injury that has sidelined Lagway throughout spring is expected to heal in time for OTAs. That optimistic projection places the freshman on track for a full return in June, but as is often the case with college football’s most scrutinized programs, words alone aren’t enough. What followed Napier’s update was a wave of doubt, and some of it wasn’t exactly subtle.

That SEC Podcast hosts Mike and Shane didn’t mince words. Shane ripped off the band-aid first: “You’re going to absolutely hate Gator football this upcoming season… you got a quarterback may not even play and you’re saying is the stock up or down? I honestly think we’ve given a little too much credit to the way the season ended last year. I do like the pieces that are involved with Billy Napier’s offense in particular, but I still think that the bar is too high for them. Six and a half? That’s crazy. Not going to hit it. Sell. Sell. They’re not making a bowl game this year.” It wasn’t just doubt—it was a blunt dismissal of Napier’s ability to produce even baseline success without a fully operational DJ Lagway at the helm.

Mike wasn’t any kinder. “I’m buying right now, but only because it was so low. That’s kind of sad. I’m sitting here saying seven regular season wins and saying this is a program on the rise. You know normally that gets your coach fired. This is more of a belief in DJ Lagway if he’s healthy than it is Billy Napier. I don’t think Billy Napier is a very good coach.”

Shane went on to say, “We just joked about Urban Meyer faking a heart attack—not for seven wins, six wins. You know what I’m saying? So the standards used to be so high there in Florida, and fans know that. If you’re on that SEC podcast right now in April, you’re a diehard Gator fans, and you most likely remember the good old days. And the longer we go away from those days, the lower that standard gets.” That’s the tightrope Billy Napier is walking: his job security might be glued to Lagway’s shoulder. The five-star freshman is more than just a hopeful savior—he’s the final card Napier has left to play. The Gators finished last season with an 8-5 record, which was their second losing season under Napier, following the previous year’s 5-7 mark, and failed to secure a bowl bid.

While Lagway’s raw tools and dual-threat upside offer a tantalizing future, there’s no clarity on how ready he’ll be when the bullets start flying in SEC play. And if his shoulder doesn’t follow Napier’s timetable, things could spiral fast. Lagway didn’t throw at all in the spring game, and Florida’s fanbase has been offered little beyond optimism to hang onto. That’s a problem.

The bigger concern now is timing. If Lagway’s injury lingers into the summer, scrutiny will fall not only on the quarterback room but also on the timeline of decisions that led here. Many in Gator Nation will wonder—if not outright fume—why Lagway didn’t undergo surgery at the conclusion of last year’s regular season. The moment Florida’s 2024 campaign flatlined, Napier’s job became an offseason talking point. So why wasn’t Lagway’s injury treated more aggressively when it became clear the program would live or die by his arm?

DJ Lagway’s limbo: Why Florida’s QB future deserves a little patience (for now)

Look, we get it—Florida fans are anxious, and understandably so. But when it comes to Billy Napier, DJ Lagway, and the Gators’ 2025 outlook, let’s not hit the panic button just yet. They deserve the benefit of the doubt… to a point.

Call us crazy, but imagine the value if Lagway had spent the entire spring slinging passes with the first-team offense. He didn’t get that chance last year. Graham Mertz was still QB1, and when Lagway did step in, a nagging hamstring injury from the Georgia game limited his reps. Up to this point, the former 5-star phenom still hasn’t had a clean run of first-team action as a healthy quarterback.

That’s why Napier admitted Lagway is “frustrated.” And honestly? Who wouldn’t be? Even the most gifted quarterback on the planet—which Lagway could become—needs real, physical reps. Mental reps are fine and all, but nothing replaces actually running the show under center.

His decision to avoid surgery and focus on rest and rehab could still be a win. And unless we see signs it’s not working, we’ll finally get the full Lagway experience in 2025. Anything less? Yeah… “frustrated” won’t even begin to cover it.