DJ Lagway's High School Stats: A look at the Florida Gators' freshman QB's career before college

By Aman Sharma

Modified Sep 16, 2024 17:42 GMT

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DJ Lagway, now a promising quarterback for the Florida Gators, had an extraordinary high school career at Willis High School in Texas. His performances on the field gained him recognition as one of the top QBs in the country.

During his junior year in 2022, Lagway threw for 2,081 yards with 24 touchdowns against just five interceptions. He participated in the prestigious Elite 11 before his senior season, setting the stage for a stellar final year. As a senior, Lagway shattered records, throwing for 4,631 yards and 58 touchdowns — both of which set a Texas Class 6A benchmark. In addition to his arm, he displayed his athleticism as he rushed for 975 yards and added 15 touchdowns on the ground.

Lagway earned multiple accolades including the 2023 Gatorade National Player of the Year, MaxPreps National Player of the Year and Mr. Texas Football. His high school coach, Miller, praised him as a leader and noted his impact on younger players on and off the field.

“He did a really good job of being a leader, on and off the field," Miller said via Houston Chronicle in July. 'With our young kids coming into the system, he was a great role model to be around those guys. He kind of taught them how to run the offense, how to be a leader in the locker room and in the school building.”

DJ Lagway completed his high school career with 8,392 yards earned, 100 TD passings, 2,196 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns in four seasons. His completion percentage increased each year, as he started from 32.0% as a freshman to 72.1% in his senior year.

Although Willis High School posted a 24-21 record over Lagway's four years, his senior season was remarkable as he led the team to a 12-1 finish.

Gators face quarterback decision ahead of SEC opener against Texas A&M, Mertz, and DJ Lagway in the mix

As Florida prepares for its SEC opener against Texas A&M, the biggest question looming over the Gators is who will start at QB. Freshman DJ Lagway filled in for redshirt senior Graham Mertz in the 45-7 win over Samford and impressed fans. However, Mertz started in the season opener against Miami, where they lost 41-17 and struggled offensively.

According to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports and CBS Sports, Mertz is expected to return as the starter against Texas A&M, but DJ Lagway will likely see playing time as well. Coach Billy Napier remains confident in both QBs and said that they can each contribute to the team's success.

"We're going to do what's in the best interest of the team," Napier said. "I think both these players can make our team better. I think that's what we intended to do. The great thing is there is a great relationship there, confidence, humility from both guys, and a healthy respect from the team and staff for both players."

Mertz had 11-of-20 completions for 91 yards with one interception; however, they were unsuccessful against Miami. DJ Lagway took over in the final period when Mertz got hurt and had 3-of-6 passes completed for 31 yards and one interception, but he rushed 20 yards out of the four carries.