Florida's season didn't start according to plan with its 41-17 loss to Miami.
Even after a 45-7 win over Samford in Week 2, the job security of Gators head coach Billy Napier is in question, and there are a lot of questions to be answered for his program.
However, one positive for Florida has been the play of freshman QB DJ Lagway, a former top-notch recruit who threw for 456 yards and three touchdowns in Week 2 when Gators starting QB Graham Mertz was out with a concussion.
The hype surrounding Lagway looked to be warranted vs. Samford, and he's a massive piece in Florida's plans moving forward.
Here's the information you need on Lagway's background, including his hometown and high school numbers.
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Where is DJ Lagway from?
Lagway was raised in Willis, Texas, which is north of Houston. While his father, Derek Lagway, played college football at Baylor, Lagway took his talents to Florida.
Lagway attended Willis High School, where he became a sure-fire 5-star recruit with a dominant senior season.
DJ Lagway high school stats
Over his time at Willis High School, Lagway totaled 8,392 passing yards, 100 passing touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. He was named the 2023 Gatorade National Player of the Year, the 2023 MaxPreps Player of the Year, and the 2023 Bobby Dodd National Back of the Year.
Per MaxPreps, here's a look at Lagway's high school passing numbers year-by-year, all four of which were on varsity.
| Year | Grade | Games | Comp. % | Pass Yards | Pass TDs | INTs | AVG | Rating |
| 2020-21 | Freshman | 9 | 32.0% | 128 | 1 | 1 | 16.0 | 46.8 |
| 2021-22 | Sophomore | 12 | 55.5% | 1,579 | 17 | 2 | 11.5 | 94.5 |
| 2022-23 | Junior | 8 | 67.0% | 2,081 | 24 | 5 | 15.5 | 130.4 |
| 2023-24 | Senior | 13 | 72.1% | 4,604 | 58 | 8 | 15.9 | 141.2 |
Running the ball, Lagway also totaled 2,196 rushing yards on 7.5 yards per carry and 29 rushing touchdowns in his high school career.
DJ Lagway high school record
Over Lagway's four years with the team, Willis High School had a 24-21 overall record. However, over his outstanding senior year that cemented him as one of the nation's best prospects, Lagway led his team to a 12-1 record.
The off-the-chart numbers in his senior year and strong team record made Lagway a coveted prospect, with 247Sports comparing him to former Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson.
In his starting debut last week, Lagway made a strong impression, setting a program record for passing yards by a freshman.