Florida Gators' head football coach Billy Napier is in a tough spot just three games into the 2024 season. He entered this campaign — his third in Gainesville — with a middling 11-14 record. Through three games in 2024,

As tensions surrounding the Florida football program continue to rise, Gators quarterback Graham Mertz has had to deal with a variety of professional and personal issues, both on and off the field.

Will Graham Mertz return to starting for Florida football vs Texas A&M or will Billy Napier and the Gators turn to true freshman DJ Lagway. What to know:

Florida Gators freshman quarterback DJ Lagway broke the freshman single-season passing record against Samford last week

The senior quarterback had worked his way back from a concussion and done enough for Napier to name him the starter. But Napier also was committed to playing an inexperienced, dual-threat passer who could help his team win now while developing into its quarterback of the future. Nunez heard his coach out. Then he bought in.

Mertz was knocked out of last week’s 41-17 home loss to No. 19 Miami in the third quarter with a concussion. Coach Billy Napier said Mertz missed a third consecutive practice Wednesday and is unlikely to be cleared in time to play against the Bulldogs.

Coach Billy Napier confirmed Wednesday that Mertz has cleared concussion protocol, allowing him to fully practice for the first time since leaving a season-opening loss to Miami late in the third

Lagway’s passing efficiency (264.8) was the fifth-best mark in Gators history. The last Florida quarterback to post a better number: Tim Tebow (282.9) … also in his first career start (against Western Kentucky during his 2007 Heisman Trophy season).

Florida coach Billy Napier told ESPN that Graham Mertz would be the first quarterback on the field against Texas A&M and that freshman DJ Lagway would play specific possessions each half and certain plays throughout possessions.

On the 14th September episode of 'The Triple Option with Paul Catalina', the show talks about the upcoming NCAA games, more specifically, the showdown between the Florida Gators and the Texas A&M Aggies.