The Florida Gators, under Billy Napier, are at an early-season crossroads as they prepare for a daunting Week 3 road trip to face Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers. The high-powered SEC showdown is set for Saturday, September 13th.
Coming off a shocking 18-16 upset loss to South Florida in The Swamp, Florida head coach Napier finds himself back on the hot seat, while LSU enters the matchup with momentum at 2-0 after handing a 23-7 defeat to Louisiana Tech.
Brian Kelly Praises DJ Lagway’s Talent, Highlights Florida’s Weapons
When LSU head coach Brian Kelly was asked about the Florida offense in a recent press conference ahead of the matchup, he didn’t hesitate to put the spotlight on sophomore field general, DJ Lagway.
“It starts with their quarterback. DJ’s arm talent is off the charts, he can throw the football. When you look at quarterbacks in this league, he has elite talent,” Kelly said.
The LSU coach went further, pointing out that Lagway isn’t alone in carrying the load for the Gators.
“But he’s got guys around him. Jadan Baugh is really difficult to defend. He’s physical, he’s got great instincts, toughness, and he’s 230 pounds. Now you complement him with the freshman Vernell Brown, who is an electric receiver. And probably one of the more consistent guys on their team is Eugene Wilson in the slot. They have a nice balance of running the football, and certainly the quarterback position and some skill guys on the offensive side of the ball.”
DJ Lagway is on #1 overall draft pick trajectory 🐊
His arm strength and athleticism are apparent, but he’s also way ahead of the development curve with pocket presence and ball placement for a QB his age.
The 2027 QB class is shaping up to be very strong 👀 pic.twitter.com/fYulOh8P4T
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) September 5, 2025
Kelly’s comments came in the wake of Florida’s late-game collapse against USF, where Lagway’s decision to check out of a run play with under three minutes left stopped the clock and set up the Bulls’ stunning comeback.
For Kelly, however, the takeaway is that the Gators’ offensive core has the raw talent to be dangerous, even in a tough road environment like Tiger Stadium.
Kelly Defends HC Billy Napier Amid Hot Seat Speculation
While questions about Napier’s future in Gainesville are growing louder, Kelly didn’t hold back in coming to his SEC counterpart’s defense.
When asked about the “hot seat” chatter surrounding Napier, Kelly pushed back strongly. “Crazy, craziness,” he said. “He’s a really good football coach. He knows his team, he knows their strengths and weaknesses, and you can see it on film. He’s building a culture that fits his eye in terms of what he wants to do. He’s doing it his way, and that’s awesome.”
Kelly also drew on his own experience of following a national championship coach at LSU. “Look, I came in here, and Ed [Orgeron] was here, he won a national championship, but he did it his way. And that’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with that. They wanted to make a change. I do it my way. It takes time to put in your philosophy and the way you like to do things.”
For Napier, the timing couldn’t be worse. His seven-year, $51.8 million deal, signed in 2021, includes a steep $19.38 million buyout if Florida parted ways after this season, as per a recent CBS report. That price tag has Gators debating the financial and football costs of moving on.
Primetime in Miami. pic.twitter.com/pH5G66qfR5
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) September 8, 2025
Saturday’s trip to Baton Rouge could be a defining moment for Napier’s tenure. A competitive showing against LSU might temporarily cool the heat on the SEC coach, but another loss would pile on the pressure with an unforgiving SEC schedule still ahead.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on Lagway to see if he can rebound against one of the toughest defenses he will face all season. Kelly’s praise highlights Florida’s potential on offense, but potential must turn into production if Napier hopes to survive the mounting scrutiny.
