So, we know now how you would do it, assuming you have the judgment, track record and skill set to make such decisions for a national football program.
LTG61 was the only one to answer the posed question.”DJ does not have enough experience and the Candycanes will bait and confuse him”. Simply stated, his lack of experience is the greater factor than having a two dimensional quarterback. Other responses make comparisons to Anthony Richardson. DJ makes Anthony Richardson look like Larry Ochab! DJ’s professional instincts are already in place, as they are innate. You will not see the Cheshire cat, deer in the headlights, missing in action act that we dealt with when AR disappeared during games. The “process” cannot cure the lack of instincts or lack of athletic talent. You will also not see the grimacing injury prone nature we experienced with AR. How quickly did AR move to injured reserve at Baltimore? I bleed Orange and Blue and am not a troll (please check post count). I understand the natural human quality of not wanting to deal with tough issues and sweeping them under the rug. I also love Billy Napier and only wish him success. DJ is a Mack truck (no AR injury issues)with a gun arm and innate instincts that were readily observable on tape in the spring game. At 6’4/241(he towers over those listed at 6’3), he has professional size and speed. We have a very tough schedule this year (and 2025). Billy is now on the hot seat and expected to make it happen. Our fans and benefactors will not accept a 6-6 season for 2024 and should not be expected to. We have made substantial progress on D in all areas and I expect a major improvement that should make us SEC competitive in that dimension. Our O-Line remains our Achilles heel. While we have strengthened the position, it still is not SEC competitive. This team weakness makes a one-dimensional quarterback (Mertz) the kiss of death. I remember back in the day with Galen Hall when Miami excoriated us back in the 1980s. The game was out of hand, and Galen finally put in a true freshman, Emmitt Smith. Emmitt proceeded to gain twelve (12) yards on his first carry and continued to progress on each play accordingly. Candycanes responded by putting their first team D back on the field but Emmitt continued down the field. They had no answer. Time ran out. DJ is not an AR but a true Generational talent, who provides the two dimensional quality that will be necessary, given our questionable OL. Mertz is a known quantity who is a great game manager and fine gentleman. However, he is one dimensional. Napier has a career decision to make. I am certain that he has been advised that 6-6 will constitute his curtain call. The answer is another fine young man on his team. If Napier can break away from the stubborn character trait that we have witnessed continually during his tenure and take a step out of his comfort zone, he has a chance. Start Lagway and shift the arrangement of the tea leaves. Go Gators!
Yes. He i thought Millen played one series for the Blue and two for the Orange. Could be wrong. The stat sheet shows him 1-1 passing for the Blue and 6-7 for Orange.
What ?gatorfan since 1969. I said Mertz is more ready so iam a troll. Go read my posts no bigger Gator fan.
Miami sucks ! Did you watch their bowl game (yeah, I know UF was not in a bowl game)? They look awful like a Div 2 a team. We should blow them out in the Swamp even if Gerry Faust was coaching the Gators. Seriously, watch Miamis undeserved bowl game and tell me how on earth they have a chance to beat UF? We will mow them over.
I see you are getting a lot of negative feedback, but my thoughts were Saturday's spring game was over-all about ensuring the Napier narrative stayed intact going into the summer. The last drive of the game confirmed it for me, in what you deemed orchestration.
Start the best guys on game day at the time of game day. Judging by the Spring game, and intuition, it was like likely always going to be Mertz. That shouldn't be too surprising because he was one of the brightest spots on the team last season.
I wouldn't use the phrase "less important" when referring to this game. They'll spend at least a half the weekmonth leading up to the game teaching their players about the flop and our boys jumping in their fountain after the game. Their fans will come out of the woodwork for games like this. They'll be roaming the streets like it's the 1980's, blasting Luther Campbell and Gloria Estefan. Go GATORS! ,WESGATORS
Mertz was one of the lone bright spots with us last year. His numbers were fantastic behind a jr high offensive line. He is the leader of this team and if this team has a winning record, I can see him as a Heisman candidate.
I’d go with the quarterback who has started 43 college games rather than the one who has started zero college games. The best quarterback on a team is always the second-team quarterback.
It was a spring game, they weren't even going full speed. If not for the black jersey, DJ would have been sacked 3 times. Miami would eat DJ for lunch if he starts. He will be very good just not yet. Let him learn how to be a college QB behind Mertz.
Those who want DJ to start are impatient. They may also be succumbing to the manufactured pressure that Billy needs to meet a certain threshold to survive to year 4. I know that the pressure is real, because fans are applying it, but it is manufactured. It doesn't need to exist. In my mind, Billy should not be on the hot seat any earlier than after DJ's first year starting. We all know that DJ and Billy as a combo is what we are waiting to see. Anything before that is just bonus. Now, if he can't get positive results with DJ as a second-year player, I think it's fair game. But... I know how these things go and the impatient crowd will probably win and force yet another 4-year reset if we don't have the season they want. Bacon away.
Another way to look at this is, if you were an embattled head coach with two losing seasons in a row and you really need as many wins as you can squeeze out, then which QB you gonna roll with? No brainer on that question right? The fly in the ointment shows up when/if we start to lose, and Lagway is tearing it up in practice. There is no coaching narrative that could hide the truth from the players. I know I'm outlining a hypothetical scenario but then it is the off season. So I let it roll. My take on the QB situation is that I am happy with Mertz and I hope Lagway can get minutes in real meaningful games.
