GAINESVILLE — Seems March Madness can possess two connotations: The Gator basketball team’s looming pursuit of a national title, and the orange-and-blue demographic’s collective angst over DJ Lagway’s throwing shoulder.
More than one-fourth of Florida’s 15 permissible spring practices are in the books, and to this point, Lagway still hasn’t been spotted throwing a forward pass. While coach Billy Napier has tried to minimize fan unrest over his sophomore quarterback’s shoulder with an optimistic tone, he has remained vague about the injury’s specifics and acknowledged at the outset of spring drills that second opinions have been sought.
Which means speculation is likely to continue percolating as spring segues to summer.
Here are some questions we still harbor — about Lagway and others — along with some observations we’ve made after four full practices.
4 observations
The rookie receivers already look the part.
OK, they’re only four practices into their college careers, but in a small sample size, the Gators’ nationally heralded crop of high school signees — led by Dallas Wilson, Vernell Brown III and Naeshaun Montgomery — has shown the fleetness and physiques essential for SEC-level football.
“I feel like the quickest one right is (Brown),” junior safety Jordan Castell said following Thursday’s practice. “The dude’s got like, a whole different twitch.”
Wilson, meantime, checked into spring practice at 6-foot-3, 209 pounds. “I think there’s a humility there. There’s a selflessness there (with the group),” Napier said.
“I think they can handle the workload. They show up, they’re blue-collar, they’re durable. … I thought they attacked the conditioning portion in Phase 2; I was impressed with that. And then here we go, we start teaching football. There’s no doubt they’ve got skill, but they’re young. I think there’s still some things to learn. But there’s definitely a bright future there for that whole group.”
Tre Wilson now is sleek and sturdy.
Wilson, coming off knee and hip surgeries last fall, said his weight has increased from 170 to 191 pounds, and it shows. The third-year receiver, noticeably thicker in the upper torso and neck during his initial spring media appearance Thursday evening, said he “most definitely” expects to be more explosive following his procedures.
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“So even in warmups and everything, I’m feeling lighter, I’m feeling a lot more bouncy,” said Wilson, whose breakout 2023 season included 61 catches and a team-high six touchdown receptions. “So the strength staff is doing their thing.”
The offensive line shapes up as Napier’s best.
Perhaps not coincidentally, this unit’s progress — from maligned to acclaimed — has paralleled that of their once-beleaguered head coach. After allowing 3.2 sacks a game in 2023, Florida evolved into the fifth-most improved unit in the nation in sack rate in 2024 and improved its Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade 14.2 points, according to si.com.
Four starters — with 89 combined college starts — return, with right tackle Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson the only departure. Third-year sophomore Bryce Lovett, who started at right tackle in the Gasparilla Bowl, is the projected replacement. Competition for second-team spots is fierce.
“This is by far the deepest offensive line room that we’ve had since we’ve been here,” Florida offensive line coach Rob Sale said Tuesday. “We got guys that can play.”
The secondary’s back end is banged up.
The Gators entered spring drills with three sidelined defensive backs who combined for 18 starts last season: Sharif Denson (foot), Aaron Gates (knee) and Bryce Thornton (ankle). Denson is expected to eventually participate this spring on a limited basis; Gates isn’t.
“You’re going to see these rookies (at safety) get an opportunity,” Napier said. “And I think Josiah (Davis), Greg (Smith), Lagonza (Hayward), Drake (Stubbs), I think those four in particular … there’s a huge opportunity for them to take a ton of reps.”
4 questions
How concerned should fans be over Lagway’s health?
Hard to say. Lagway’s arm seemed fine three months ago in the Gasparilla Bowl, and Napier has indicated the sophomore hasn’t required surgery. But in his spring-opening address to reporters nine days ago, Napier said his staff has “consulted with quite a few experts here from a UF Health and from a national perspective, as we do with a lot of our players in terms of second opinions.”
Second opinions? Yikes. Meantime, Lagway has suited up for all four spring practices to this point, though only to take mental reps and to call in plays during some team periods. Stay tuned.
Speaking of quarterbacks, will Napier comb the portal for another one?
It’s likely after last season, when a season-ending ACL injury to opening-day starter Graham Mertz, and Lagway’s hamstring injury midway through the Georgia contest, left Napier without a proven college quarterback for a game and a half.
Yale transfer Aidan Warner, who stepped in admirably (if not effectively) when Lagway went down, remains on the roster. Napier also brought in graduate student Harrison Bailey, who played sparingly at three previous Division I schools (Louisville, UNLV, Tennessee). Four-star freshman Tramell Jones, an early signee, also is in camp.
“I think we always come out of spring with a little bit better feel for our team,” Napier said.
“I think we’ll evaluate our team, we’ll see where we’re at. I’ve really been pleased with the three guys that are taking reps right now. Think we’ve got two good young players, and then we’ve got a guy who’s played a lot of ball, and then obviously DJ being back. We’ll know a lot more once we get done with spring practice.”
Who steps in at nose guard?
The Gators lost 57 combined tackles and nearly 800 combined pounds with the departures of Cam Jackson and Armwood High alumnus Desmond Watson. Look for 355-pound sophomore Michai Boireau (15 tackles in 2024) to step in, with 399-pound freshman Stephon Shivers in camp as an early enrollee, though limited right now.
Any locals to showing out?
Aside from Tre Wilson (Gaither High) and Dallas Wilson (Tampa Bay Tech), junior tight end Tony Livingston (King) warrants watching after totaling five catches and two touchdowns in UF’s final two games of 2024. Livingston checked in this spring at 6-foot-4 ¾, 260 pounds.
“Early on in his career, he was getting in there and then he’d get hurt and he’d come out,” tight ends coach Russ Callaway said. “He never was consistently out there. And then…right about Game Six (in 2024), the injuries kind of stopped, and Tony just started taking off. And to be honest with you, he’s only gotten better as well.”
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