Entering SEC play, Florida Gators must find a way to boost their offense

Walking into the southwest tunnel of Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, face scowling, DJ Lagway was in the same place he’d already been a number of times this season. Yet it still seemed to sting.

Florida football had just been outclassed by a program — Miami — that hired a coach in the same 2022 cycle UF did, and similarly struggled to jump-start its rebuild, having likewise floundered in recent years, despite its historic pedigree. Two teams going in different directions, passing by one another at a well-lit Miami Gardens stoplight.

Coach Billy Napier, cornerback Devin Moore and Florida’s quarterback each spoke about the offensive monstrosity the evening became, with Florida failing to convert a single one of its 13 third downs and only totaling 141 yards. Down the hall, music barreled from the Hurricanes’ locker room as players took to Instagram Live to ceremonially cement what everyone south of Georgia can now see: Florida football has changed.

So, 1-3 for the first time since 1986 and entering a bye week, there’s a lot Florida needs to adjust as it prepares to enter SEC play.

Offensive deviation

Through September, the Gators are averaging 22 points per game, ranking 100th nationally and last in the SEC. That figure is skewed by UF’s 55-0 win against Long Island University in Week 1; without it, Florida would be averaging 11 points per game. Notably, Western Michigan, the lowest-ranked FBS offense, averages 12.5 points.

Against Miami, the Gators didn’t push the ball downfield in arguably Florida’s worst offensive showing of Napier’s tenure. Lagway finished with minus-3 air yards, a notable contrast to the deep-ball centric attack he led to end last season. A week earlier at LSU, it was the exact opposite, as Lagway threw five interceptions on 49 attempts. And every interception came at least 5 yards downfield.

Napier’s playcalling has been the focus of most outside criticism, but the lack of offensive continuity each game may be the largest issue nagging Florida. No two of Florida’s games this season have featured the same game plan, with Napier alternating between protecting Lagway and transforming UF’s offense into a quasi-air raid attack.

The result: discombobulation.

“[We’re] obviously not good enough on offense. We didn’t generate enough yards or points,” Napier said after the game Saturday. “We’ve gotta get more first downs. We’ve gotta find some rhythm.”

To open SEC play, Florida welcomes No. 10 Texas, which has allowed only 7.75 points per game (fourth in the nation). A change will be needed soon.

Maintaining defensive intensity

If nothing else, Florida’s defense has held up well against top-ranked foes so far this season. No. 2 Miami and No. 4 LSU scored a combined 46 points during the last two weeks against UF, which foreshadows a level of competency that will serve the Gators well with six ranked opponents remaining.

But the Gators might need to pitch a temporary combat hospital on the sideline.

Against Miami, Florida’s defense spent 60% of the game on the field, and defensive backs Aaron Gates and Dijon Johnson, plus defensive tackle Brendan Bett, all left with injuries. Toss that in with three of Florida’s four starting defensive linemen missing the contest, and it’s easy to see regression looming.

“It’s going to be fixable, nothing long term there,” Napier said about Johnson, one of UF’s starting corners, Wednesday. “But he will be out for the remainder of the season.”

While Texas might not test Florida’s depth, seven of the Gators’ eight remaining opponents have top-50 scoring offenses.

Lagway’s comfortability

While it fits within the struggles of Florida’s offense, Lagway hasn’t found any comfort. Now, he’s in a boot following the Miami game and an offseason of injuries, spiking concern in Gainesville.

“The kid has been back in here since Sunday, working his butt off Monday,” Napier said Wednesday. “[Tuesday] had a really good day. We can’t control that outside narrative, obviously, but he’s just fine. ... That’s a total myth that’s out there.”

Injury or not, the sophomore quarterback is unrecognizable from his freshman self. Florida’s offense, and all hope for the 2025 season, hinged on his aggression, which was embodied by a 95.8 passing grade on deep balls (No. 3 nationally). Lagway trailed only Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, whom he helped upset in November, in yards per pass thrown with 10. But this season, that has sunk to below 6 yards per throw, and his five-to-six touchdown-to-interception ratio is among the worst of Power 4 quarterbacks.