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DJ Lagway will open the 2025 college football season as the starting quarterback for No. 15 Florida, coach Billy Napier said in his Monday press conference ahead of the Gators' Week 1 game against Long Island. Lagway has battled numerous injuries this offseason, most recently missing part of preseason camp with a strained calf, but he has been a full participant in practice recently. 

Lagway made his camp debut back on Aug. 2, throwing passes while wearing a sleeve on his left leg. He progressed over the ensuing weeks and is now in line to enter the year at full speed. The final stretch of camp marked the first time this offseason that the star sophomore suited up in a full capacity for official practices after missing the spring with a separate shoulder issue.

"DJ has been a 100% participant in practice here for several days," Napier said. "I think he gets better every day. He's having a lot of fun having football and competing. He's smiling a lot more often. I think he truly enjoys practice and preparing, the opportunity to get better. The kid is consumed with improvement, and he knows the value of practice. Him getting to do that, I think he's a happy guy."

Lower body injuries have already been a repetitive issue for Lagway early in his career; he also strained a hamstring last season and missed a week with the ailment. The former No. 1 quarterback recruit "made a lot of quick progress" from the calf strain, though, as Napier said earlier this month.

The Gators stand to benefit from Lagway's availability in a major way this season. They would have remained favorites over Week 1 opponent Long Island even if he was unable to suit up, but his insertion into the lineup takes any shred of doubt out of the equation for their matchup with the FCS opponent. When Florida embarks on SEC play, Lagway should be the best quarterback on the field in most contests, if not all of them.

A healthy Lagway could make Florida a dark-horse contender in the SEC and a legitimate College Football Playoff hopeful. That outlook is the product of a stellar conclusion to Lagway's true freshman season, wherein he dazzled over the final four games of the campaign and led Florida to wins in each of those contests, two of which came against ranked opponents. Lagway completed 59.9% of his passes on the year and threw nine interceptions, but the bright spots outweighed his growing pains.

Lagway's upside was crystal clear in the 456-yard explosion he posted in his first career start against Samford. He also amassed 305 yards in the season finale -- a 33-8 thumping of Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl.