DJ Lagway takes responsibility for controversial pass play late in Florida-USF game
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It’s safe to say that Florida drowned in its own Swamp on Saturday, and late-game clock management was a major reason why.
During the 18-16 defeat, the Gators got the ball back with a one-point lead and 2:52 remaining on the clock. But with a run play called at the line, sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway checked to a pass down the sideline, and an ensuing incompletion to Vernell Brown III stopped the clock.
The Bulls would proceed to get the ball back with 2:25 remaining, and they, of course, mounted a clutch 8-play, 87-yard drive that was capped by a game-winning field goal from Nico Gramatica as time expired.
Asked about the play after the game, Lagway expressed his regret at calling the audible and knows he has to be smarter in such scenarios.
Per The Gainesville Sun’s reporting:
It’s definitely frustrating,” Lagway said. “I feel like I put that on me. I feel I threw a pass when I shouldn’t have. Yeah, I’ve got to be a better situational expert on that in four-minute mode, and I’ve got to keep the ball rolling, keep the clock moving.
Of course, Lagway’s mistake wasn’t the only one time-related issue late in the game. Billy Napier opted to let 47 seconds run off the clock when USF ran the ball at the 20-yard line, saving his two timeouts for later snaps as the Bulls ran out the clock. He explained that regardless of when he called the timeouts, the remaining time would have been roughly the same.
“We had two,” Napier said. “At that point, there’s going to be a field goal kicked. They had one, so they had an extra down. So regardless of when the timeouts get called, it’s going to end up about the same.”
Current sports editor with the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. 2024 graduate from Mizzou and college athletics enthusiast.
