FOX Sports commentator Joel Klatt did not hold back after DJ Lagway’s costly performance against LSU, putting Florida’s leadership on notice. Following the quarterback’s five-interception game in Week 3, Klatt argued on “The Joel Klatt Show“ that Florida sabotaged its own chances to win in Baton Rouge.
Is Florida Football Under Fire After Joel Klatt Targeted DJ Lagway’s Costly Mistakes?
Klatt delivered sharp criticism of Lagway following his error-filled performance in the Week 3 matchup against LSU. After the Gators fell 20-10 in Baton Rouge, Klatt made it clear that turnovers were the deciding factor.
“Florida’s athletic, and they’re good. That’s not a bad football team by any stretch of the imagination. They happen to have a quarterback that makes it incredibly difficult to win tight ballgames because he constantly throws the football to the other team,” Klatt said on The Joel Klatt Show.
He emphasized that Lagway’s tendency to throw interceptions has become a recurring issue in crucial contests.
“When they get into matchup games or even FBS games, this guy throws interceptions like Oprah hands out cars. ‘You get a car, and you get a car.’ I mean, DJ Lagway has got to hold on to the football. That’s a massive issue. … You cannot make those throws. You can’t. It doesn’t matter how much talent you have,” Klatt stated.
While Klatt acknowledged Lagway’s impressive ability to deliver highlight-reel plays, he noted that moments of brilliance cannot erase repeated mistakes.
“It doesn’t matter that the touchdown pass you threw was an absolute dime, and there aren’t many players in the country who can throw that ball with that trajectory and touch. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what you are at the top end as a quarterback. It doesn’t. It matters where your floor is,” Klatt explained.
He argued that a quarterback’s consistency is far more important than a few flashy moments. A low floor, Klatt believes, can sabotage a team’s chances to win.
“If your floor is so low that your team can’t win games because of your floor, that’s a problem. And that’s what’s going on with Florida and DJ Lagway. Five interceptions is not going to cut it. You can throw 30 passes and 25 of them can be perfect, which is never going to happen, but if five of them are awful, you lose,” he said.
Ultimately, Klatt stressed that protecting the football remains the foundation of the quarterback position.
“The football is paramount. The position of quarterback is about the football. It’s about taking care of the football. It’s about operating the offense clean. And once you do that, once your floor is high enough that you can win football games, then your talent becomes the icing on the cake. You cannot start with talent. You can’t,” Klatt added.
PFSN Metric Exposes Lagway Struggles as Florida QB Faces Criticism
Opinion is one thing, data is another. When it comes to Florida quarterback Lagway, however, the two are in synergy. According to PFSN’s College Impact metric, the second-year Gator had one of the worst performances in the country in college football Week 3.
Lagway received a 70.6 PFSN College QBi score, equivalent to a C-. To put it simply, the Florida quarterback was considered below average.
To add context to the score and grade, Lagway ranked 99th out of 124 eligible passers in the LSU defeat, despite having the 24th-ranked offensive line in the country to play behind.
The unit, led by center Jake Slaughter, earned an 81.9 score in PFSN’s College Team OLi metric, while the offense as a while ranked 58th overall with a 76.1 PFSN College OFFi score. Protection wasn’t an issue; the passer was.
Lagway’s struggles extend beyond just one game. Expected to be in the hunt for the Heisman Trophy in his second season with the program, Lagway ranks 70th in the country with a 77.4 PFSN College QBi season grade heading into college football Week 4.
Now, Florida turns its attention to a high-profile clash against Miami at Hard Rock Stadium. With ESPN’s “College GameDay” on site, the pressure is mounting for Lagway to deliver a much cleaner performance as the Gators look to rebound.
