Josh Pate Drops Unexpected Clues on DJ Lagway’s Transfer Portal Move—Which Schools Are Ready to Pounce?

It’s official: DJ Lagway is stepping away from the Florida Gators next season, setting the stage for one of college football’s more intriguing transfer sagas. Reports confirm the quarterback is entering the NCAA transfer portal, igniting a swirl of speculation about not only his next destination but also the ripple effects his exit spells for Gainesville. The story behind this split isn’t just about stats and game day — it hinges on a pivotal meeting with new head coach Jon Sumrall where harsh realities set in, leaving both sides ready to part ways. As Lagway’s name pops up in connection with powerhouse programs like Baylor, Miami, LSU, and Louisville, the unfolding drama promises a fascinating rewind and fast-forward moment in his young career. This isn’t merely a change of scenery; it’s a crossroads with serious competitive and personal implications that echo far beyond the field.
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DJ Lagway will not play for Florida next season, as it was reported that the QB intends to enter the transfer portal. Now the speculation is on for where he’ll end up next and what exactly led to his departure from Gainesville.

College football analyst Josh Pate provided the answer to both questions on Tuesday’s episode of Josh Pate’s College Football Show. He broke down that a meeting was held with Lagway and new Gators coach Jon Sumrall that left both parties wanting to move on.

“It’s been pretty widely reported that this was Jon Sumrall and his staff meeting with DJ Lagway and that meeting sounds like it did not go well,” Pate said. “That meeting sounds like it included a lot of that coaching staff challenging his mental makup, his competitiveness, his disposition towards football and it did not provide either party with the warm fuzzies. They left realizing, ‘He’s probably not gonna be our quarterback this year,’ and DJ Lagay left realizing, ‘I’m probably not gonna fit here anymore.’

“So now he’s in the portal. Baylor has been mentioned, Miami has been mentioned, LSU, Louisville. Again, we’re still very early in the process.”

Seeing Lagway on any other those teams would be interesting, but Miami and LSU in particular stand out. The Hurricanes would be going to an in-state rival that made the College Football Playoff this past season, continuing the tradition of transfer quarterback to the U. On the other hand, LSU would keep him in the SEC and pair him with Lane Kiffin, whom the Gators tried to hire before settling on Sumrall.

Lagway is a former five-star recruit who just wrapped up his second season of college football. According to On3’s transfer portal rankings, he is No. 4 among the quarterback expected to enter the transfer portal this offseason so far.

Lagway had his ups and downs during his time in Gainesville, including this past season as Florida fiished 4-8. The QB led the SEC with 14 interceptions and completed only 63.2% of his passes for 2,264 yards and 16 touchdowns.

He’ll surely need to cut down on his mistakes wherever he ends up next, but DJ Lagway is likely to command plenty of attention from top tier programs in the transfer portal. As for Florida, it will also get to work finding its next starter as the Sumrall era begins in Gainesville.