The Florida football team is 3-3 in the year and has many questions about the status of head coach Billy Napier. In Week 7, the Gators lost to Tennessee, 23-17, on the road in a bit of an encouraging effort. At the same time as the Napier-hot seat buzz, Florida also dealt with a quarterback dilemma between veteran Graham Mertz and freshman DJ Lagway.
However, Mertz is now expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury in the loss to Tennessee, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
‘Florida quarterback Graham Mertz is expected to miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury he suffered during the Gators' loss to Tennessee Saturday night, a source tells 247Sports and CBS Sports.'
Mertz then released a lengthy statement on X after the news came in.
“Thank you for two incredible years in Gainesville. Unfortunately, I suffered a torn ACL against Tennessee and will miss the remainder of the season. During my recovery, I will remain a part of the program and do whatever I can in meeting rooms and from the sideline to help my teammates win. I want t thank everyone for the outpouring of support during this time.”
Mertz transferred from Wisconsin and was the team's starter in 2023 before winning the job for the 2024 season as well. He has thrown for 791 yards on the year with six touchdowns and two interceptions. However, he only eclipsed the 200-yard mark once all year long.
Mertz left the game in the third quarter against Tennessee after suffering the injury, and five-star freshman DJ Lagway stepped in for Florida and played well in a tough environment. Lagway threw for 98 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and now he will take over as the Gators QB1 for the rest of the year.
The Florida football team next faces Kentucky before a Week 9 bye, but on the other side of the bye lies a brutal schedule. Florida faces Georgia and Texas — both on the road. Then, the Gators play LSU and Ole Miss at home, marking four straight games against op 25 teams before the conclusion against Florida State.
As Lagway steps in for Mertz, Florida will get an extended look at the talented freshman to see if he can stay with the program for the foreseeable future.