I'm not sure Lagway doesn't start next year

He will be utilized the way Tebow was when he started.

 

I hope he gets snaps. Our backup QB had shockingly few this year, which is why he wasn't prepared when Mertz went down.

 

Protecting 2 because we had no 3.

 

Need to thread the needle between getting him reps/having packages for him and throwing him to the wolves prematurely.

 

If I am not mistaken, this is called "coaching scared." I get last year and AR. Not this one.

 

To the OP:

He may take over the job by the second half of the season if he is that good, but I don't see him starting early in the season. I have said that the first 4 games next year will be THE bellwether for Napier. If he truly "gets it" and he goes 2-2, I hope he decides he has painted himself in a corner and he will sink or swim with Lagway.

But if he is 3-1 or 4-0, he will let Mertz audition for the NFL and use Lagway like Meyer used Tebow in 2006.

 

Lets see how Lagway looks in the spring before anointing him the starter. Big jump from Willis HS to the SEC.

 

Actually, protecting 3 because 1 and 2 were down and 4 was a walk-on.

 

I am certain Lagway will not start unless Mertz is injured. The difference between Mertz operating an offense versus any true freshman is HUGE.

 

I’ll take the learning curve with Lagway vs. the behind the line of scrimmage throws, rolling into sacks and not being able to see the left side of the field with Mertz. Nice guy and a good Gator but hoping that was a one year deal.

 

Even if we somehow go 9-3 next year, there isn't going to be a lot of games where we're way ahead in the 4th quarter due to our schedule, so I doubt Lagway will get much "garbage time" to play. I hope CBN creates some packages for DJ so that he can get in for a series or two in some or "easier" games, relatively speaking.

 

I don’t think we had a lot of opportunities for Max to play in garbage time.

 

I felt like Max was more prepared when Mertz went down than Billy.

 

Seems like Lagway ought to be leading the way on Early Signing Day. It’s important for other recruits to see he is in.

 

I’ve said it before, if DJ is starting next year it most likely means things went badly for us. We are in a great spot to have an experienced veteran Mertz give DJ the chance to get ready for 2025. I think DJ will get to play some meaningful snaps here and there, but GM will be the starter.

 

I think some people may have forgotten what our games looked like last year. As you say we didn't have much garbage time, we were in close games and early on we were breaking in Mertz. If we stick max in a close game and he costs us a score peoole would have been using that as an example of Napier's incompetence.

 

Watch his tape and you'll see a lot of crazy throws, escapes, and runs. All good but he'll have to adjust to the SEC defenses. If he adjusts quickly then that would be a pleasant surprise. Most take at least a year, even phenoms.

 

@gatorb it is not off topic to give a reason why Max probably didn’t see the field a lot prior to Mertz going down… in direct response to another poster who stated that he didn’t get enough prepatory snaps. Use the ratings correctly, please.

 

Um, Mr. "Perfect" (a ka Arch Manning) was 3rd string this year. And while QB1 seems poised, he clearly isn't gunning for a "first overall pick" designation. Or should I say, a SANE first pick.