The Florida football team came away with a much needed 45-7 victory over the Samford Bulldogs on Saturday night. Freshman DJ Lagway’s 456-yard, three touchdown performance certainly stood out the most, but here are four takeaways from the Gators’ first victory of 2024.
- DJ Lagway isn’t just an incredible athlete; he’s a phenomenon and has the potential to lead this program for years to come
The 2023 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year put on an incredible display in his earlier than anticipated debut. He made reads with quickness and accuracy, created explosive plays and utilized his scrambling ability multiple times. The Gators had six plays of thirty-plus yards in the win, which nearly halved its 2023 total of 14. Lagway’s poise in the pocket and outside it allowed for Florida’s offense to generate over 600 total yards.
He wasn’t perfect in his debut, but he played well enough to set the program record for the most passing yards in a single game by a freshman. Lagway put himself in position to earn the starting spot in Florida’s SEC opener against Texas A&M next week, but the final word will rest with head coach Billy Napier.
Lagway’s presence on the field gives the offense a potency it lacks otherwise. Overall, he should be more involved regardless of whether he starts next week.
- The secondary will be a weak point going forward
The Florida secondary once again left much to be desired. While the Bulldogs accumulated a mere 144 yards through the air, the statistics do not tell the whole story. The Florida secondary appeared lost at times as it fell behind on multiple screen passes in the first half and granted Samford multiple big play opportunities through the air. It also incurred an unacceptable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. suplexed a Samford player.
The Bulldogs, though, were unable to convert on a majority of the aforementioned opportunities due to Florida’s strong defensive line play that consistently forced quarterback Quincy Crittendon into uncomfortable positions.
The Gators’ secondary will need to escape its slump if it hopes to keep up with SEC foe Texas A&M next Saturday. Otherwise, it could be another long afternoon for fans in The Swamp.
- Tyreak Sapp can wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines
Sapp had a spectacular night and effectively displayed what he’s capable of on the defensive line. He finished with five tackles, 2.5 TFL and a sack. When he didn’t appear on the stat sheet, he was clogging run gaps and demanding the attention of Samford’s offensive linemen. The redshirt junior’s statement performance is a sign of good things to come.
The defensive line as a whole rebounded quite well from the season opener loss. Florida’s unit combined for four sacks and 12 TFL against Samford. It will be challenged to repeat that success this season against some of the best offensive lines college football has to offer.
- Special teams continue to show improvement from last season
A game without a sloppy or game-altering special teams mistake last year was a rarity. Now, the special teams unit has executed its duties to a tee for the second-straight game. Kicker Trey Smack nailed his PATs and lone field goal attempt, Jeremy Crawshaw landed both of his punts inside the 20, and the unit incurred no outstanding penalties. Former New England special teams coordinator Joe Houston is proving to be one of Napier’s best coaching hires to date; since his arrival, special teams have been much more efficient.
Florida fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief when the special teams unit steps on to the field.
ChompTalk.com 
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