ChompTalk.com

“Embarrassing” is the word Florida head coach Billy Napier used to describe his team’s performance in the Gators’ 41-17 opening week loss to the No. 19 Miami Hurricanes on Saturday. This was the first time since 1989 that the Gators dropped their home opener.

Florida was outclassed by the Canes in every facet of the game in the blowout. The Gators gave up 529 yards of total offense to a balanced Miami attack. Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward completed 74% of his passes en route to 385 yards in the air and three touchdown passes. Wideout Xavier Restrepo accounted for 112 yards and one of the scores as he carved up a Florida secondary that looked lost all game long.

Miami also ran for 144 yards on 4.4 yards per carry as the Gators’ defensive front did not provide much resistance to Miami’s backs. The defensive line was bullied most of the game as the team mustered just one sack and two tackles for loss.

On the offensive side of the ball, Florida didn’t fare much better. Quarterback Graham Mertz, who had high expectations coming into this season after a phenomenal first year with the Gators, finished with less than 100 yards on the day and an interception. On the play where he was picked off, Mertz took a big hit, was taken to the locker room and did not return.

Mertz being out of the game allowed Florida fans to witness the highly-anticipated debut of five-star true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway. Lagway took a few plays to get his bearings but looked good in his limited playing time. On his second drive, Lagway marched the Gators down the field for a touchdown. On the drive, he was 3-for-4 with 31 yards in the air and had a 16-yard scramble on third down in what was Florida’s only third-down conversion of the game.

One bright spot for Florida’s offense, besides Lagway’s performance, was a 71-yard rushing touchdown for Montrell Johnson Jr. in the second quarter. Other than that run, Johnson carried the ball 10 times for just 35 yards.

Now in year three of Napier’s tenure at UF, this “embarrassing” loss to an in-state rival in Week 1 is not something that will go over well with Gators fans. It also does not help Florida’s case for recruiting in the state. Every recruit who is deciding between the top Florida schools watched Miami march into the Swamp and take it over.

The Gators must now turn the page. They have to throw Saturday’s game out the window and focus on the next task, which is Samford.

On Monday, Napier said in a press conference that it is “to be determined” who will start at quarterback against the Bulldogs in Week 2. Mertz is in concussion protocol, and it is unknown if he will be ready to suit up on Saturday. If Mertz is unable to play, Lagway will get his first start as a Gator in just his second game in college. While he does not have the veteran mindset of Mertz, Lagway’s raw talent and dual-threat ability make him a game-changer on the field.

Whether it is Mertz or Lagway starting at QB, there is a lot more for Napier and the Gators to figure out before their next big game. They are hoping to use Samford as a tune-up and a confidence booster before facing Texas A&M in the Swamp on Sept. 14.