Florida Gators Lose Another Quarterback, Another Chance for Major Disappointment

JACKSONVILLE — You expect hostility from fans.

They are angry, they are frustrated, they are tired of losing.

You expect pessimism from sportswriters.

They are cynical, jaded and reflective of the mood.

One can even expect artillery fire from the administration.

They are worried, they are impatient, they listen to boosters.

But who could have predicted that the heavens would turn against the Alligators?

On Saturday, Florida was flirting with one of the biggest upsets in program history when fate threw another banana peel at it. For the second time in three games, the Gators had a chance to beat a top-10 opponent, but their starting guard went down with a freak injury.

Leading at halftime and tying the game in the final five minutes, the Gators eventually ran out of good spirits and lost to second-ranked Georgia 34-20. Now, for the first time since 1980-83, Florida has lost four straight games to the Bulldogs.

“We knew there would be momentum in the game that would challenge the team’s consistency, and of course it did,” Florida coach Billy Napier said. “We felt like we understood the mission and felt like we had the people to carry it out. This group is very close-knit, its unity is powerful.

“Over the last couple of weeks, this group has started to believe that they can play with anyone and beat anyone. Obviously there is football here that can be improved.”

After No. 1 quarterback Graham Mertz went down with a season-ending knee injury on a touchdown pass against Tennessee, replacement DJ Lagway appeared to suffer a serious hamstring injury when he slipped while running the ball in the second quarter against Georgia.

The Gators were 10-3 when redshirt freshman Aidan Warner, a freshman who transferred from Yale earlier this year and had three passes in his collegiate career, took over the offense. Given that the game plan revolved around Lagway’s passing and running abilities, Warner was unable to intervene without any warning.

He completed 7 of 22 passes for 66 yards, two sacks and one interception.

“What I like most about him is that he’s competitive,” receiver Chimere Dike said. “He wasn’t afraid of this big moment, and, you know, we tried to rally around him. Obviously we needed to do a better job offensively.”

The Gators are now 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the Southeastern Conference, and with games coming up against No. 6 Texas, No. 16 LSU and No. 19 Ole Miss, they may be heading toward their fourth straight losing season.

Yet by the time Saturday’s game ended, there was a sense of optimism. Unlike September, when the Gators lost to Miami and Texas A&M, this team is playing with more confidence and purpose. They have been outnumbered for many weeks, but they no longer disgrace themselves.

The defense eventually collapsed, but it hampered the Bulldogs for much of the day. Florida intercepted Georgia defensive end Carson Beck three times and added two sacks. The Gators had a chance to retake the lead in the third quarter with a 51-yard field goal attempt, but the ball sailed past the holder and put Georgia at the Florida 36. came back with the game-tying play with 7:29 left.

Napier could have cited injuries to the quarterback, as well as the loss of starting running back Montrell Johnson Jr. and several members of the secondary as an explanation for the failure to complete the rout, but instead he praised the players who stepped up.

“There were always injuries in this game. Every team in the country has injuries,” he said. “One thing I can say is that we have created a squad that has some competitiveness and that has been helpful. You play in this league, the level of competition, the explosive players, the height, the length and speed of the game, the physicality of this game, you’re always going to need depth.”

A month ago, the college football world seemed to be unanimous in its belief that Napier’s future in Gainesville was in serious jeopardy.

So, are these calls enough to rethink his future? Is his popularity in the locker room an indication of brighter days ahead?

Perhaps, but the numbers are still against him. The Gators are now 2-13 against ranked teams in his three years at the helm, and if they fail to upset one of their next three opponents, there may not be enough goodwill left in Gainesville to save it.

It certainly doesn’t help that Lagway, who is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Sunday, will likely miss the next game and possibly more.

“I’m proud of Aidan. I have confidence in Aidan,” Napier said. “He’s done a great job since he started getting reps a couple of weeks ago, and I think there’s a lot to be said for him doing what he did (Saturday). He will continue to get better. Come to think of it, just a few weeks ago he was standing there eating ice cream.

“Then all of a sudden Graham Mertz drops out and (he) becomes No. 2. Then, lo and behold, two weeks later it’s Florida-Georgia and (he’s) trotting down the field.”

John Romano can be reached at: [email protected]. Follow @romano_tbtimes.

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