Lagway showing signs of improving, will he play against LSU Saturday?

DJ Lagway (2) showing signs of improvement in practice (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears)

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday afternoon:

Although he stopped short of saying DJ Lagway will play Saturday when the Gators (4-5, 2-4 SEC) play host to 21st-ranked LSU (6-3, 3-2 SEC), head coach Billy Napier offered encouraging news about his freshman quarterback on the SEC Coaches Teleconference Wednesday morning.

“DJ continues to improve,” Napier said. “I think we’ve seen progress every day and I think that allowed him to participate more in practice. Obviously, we’re kind of controlling that environment, but in general, I think we continue to trend in the right direction.”

Due to the nature of the injury (soft tissue, hamstring) that caused Lagway to leave the Georgia game in the second quarter with the Gators leading, 10-3, and miss last week’s Texas game completely, even if he plays it seems unlikely Napier would call any designed running plays. In both their SEC losses, LSU has been burned by mobile quarterbacks.

In the loss to Texas A&M, Marcel Reed ran nine times for 62 yards and three touchdowns. In the loss to Alabama last week, Jalen Milroe ran 12 times for 185 yards and five touchdowns.

Lagway is a good runner, but he’s an exceptional passer when it comes to throwing the deep ball. Napier sees Lagway gaining confidence every day in practice.

“Look, I think DJ gets better every day,” Napier said. “He’s obviously gained some confidence because of the more weeks that he prepares, the more reps that he gets, the more experience he gets, and then certainly, just learning what it’s like out there. I think when you’re a young player and you haven’t played a lot, there’s some uncertainty about what the games will be like, right? So now that he knows he’s learned the value of preparation. He’s learned the value of practice habits.”

Can the Gators defend the pass against LSU?: A week ago against Texas, Quinn Ewers chewed up the Florida secondary, hitting 19-27 passes for 333 yards and five touchdowns without throwing an interception. Saturday, the Gators will go against LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who has thrown for 2,866 yards and 21 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. It should be noted that Nussmeier threw six touchdown passes without an interception against D1AA Nicholls State. Against Division I teams he has thrown only 15 TDPs with 11 interceptions.

BIG TEN DOMINATES TOP SPOTS IN CFP POLL

The Big Ten commands four of the top five spots in the second College Football Playoff poll, including the top two, Oregon and Ohio State. The only SEC team in the top five is Texas at No. 3.

The SEC did get five of the top 12 spots in the poll, which means if the playoff began today Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, Ole Miss and Georgia would be in. Because the highest ranked Group of Five champ is guaranteed, No. 13 Boise State would make it, bumping No. 12 Georgia. The Big Ten would get Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State and Indiana in, while the Big 12 would get BYU and the ACC would get Miami.

The four highest seeded conference champs get a first round bye, so the four who get a day off would be Oregon, Texas, BYU and Miami.

College Football Playoff poll, week 2: 1. Oregon 10-0; 2. Ohio State  8-1; 3. Texas 8-1; 4. Penn State 8-1; 5. Indiana 10-0; 6. BYU 9-0; 7. Tennessee 8-1; 8. Notre Dame 8-1; 9. Miami 9-1; 10. Alabama 7-2; 11. Ole Miss 8-2; 12. Georgia 7-2; 13. Boise State 8-1; 14. SMU 8-1; 15. Texas A&M 7-2; 16. Kansas State 7-2; 17. Colorado 7-2; 18. Washington State 8-1; 19. Louisville 6-3; 20. Clemson 7-2; 21. South Carolina 6-3; 22. LSU 6-3; 23. Missouri 7-2; 24. Army 9-0; 25. Tulane 8-2

SEC FOOTBALL

(Associated Press rankings)

No. 9 Alabama ( 7-2, 4-2 SEC): In leading Alabama to convincing wins over Missouri and LSU in the last two games, Jalen Milroe has reinserting himself into the Heisman Trophy consideration. For the year, Milroe has thrown for 2,046 yards and 13 touchdowns while running for 565 and 16 TDs.

Arkansas (5-4, 3-3 SEC):How will the secondary hold up Saturday against Quinn Ewers and Texas. Arkansas is giving up 266.2 passing yards per game and is coming off a debacle with Ole Miss in which the secondary was shredded for 562 yards and seven TDPs.

Auburn (3-6, 1-5 SEC):

No. 11 Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC): Saturday’s game with Tennessee is potentially an elimination game for Georgia. Lose and with three losses it is highly improbable that the Bulldogs make the College Football Playoff.

Kentucky (3-6, 1-6 SEC): Asked if he’s contemplating stepping down at the end of the season, HBC Mark Stoops answered, “Zero percent chance I do that.” With 66 wins, Stoops is the winningest coach in Kentucky football history.

No. 21 LSU (6-3, 3-2 SEC): Asked if he’s considering a change at quarterback where Garrett Nussmeier has started every game this season, HBC Brian Kelly responded, “Absolutely not. He gives us the best option for success.”

Mississippi State (2-8, 0-6 SEC): The transfer portal doesn’t open for three weeks, but HBC Jeff Lebby said on the SEC Teleconference that teams are already tampering with Mississippi State players.

No. 24 Missouri (7-2, 3-2 SEC): Center Connor Tollison will miss the rest of the season with a leg injury. Tollison has started 34 games at center for Mizzou.

Oklahoma (5-5, 1-5 SEC): Athletic director Joe Castiglione and school president Joe Harroz Jr. say they have an “unwavering commitment” to HBC Brent Venables.

No. 10 Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2 SEC): Lane Kiffin teams have always been able to put points on the scoreboard, but now he has a defense that gets the job done, too. Ole Miss is giving up just 12.9 points per game (No. 6 nationally). The Rebels make teams one-dimensional by taking away the run (79.9  yards per game, No. 2 nationally). Ole Miss leads the country in sacks with 46.

No. 23 South Carolina (6-3, 4-3 SEC): The Gamecocks are five points away from being 8-1 on the season. South Carolina is a 12-point favorite over Missouri Saturday.

No. 6 Tennessee (7-1, 5-1 SEC): The Vols are 10.5-point underdogs on the road at Georgia Saturday. A win against Georgia and in the season finale against Vanderbilt should put the Vols in the SEC Championship Game.

No. 3 Texas (8-1, 5-1 SEC):The Longhorns are No. 2 nationally in total defense (251 yards per game), No. 4 in scoring defense (12.1 points per game) and No. 1 in pass defense (135.3 yards per game). Texas has allowed only three TDPs while picking off 14 opponent passes.

No. 15 Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC): Defensive back Tyreek Chappell and O-lineman Chase Bisontis are injured and will miss Saturday’s game with New Mexico State.

Vanderbilt (6-4, 3-3 SEC): Quarterback Diego Pavia’s request for a temporary restraining order that would give him an extra year of eligibility has been denied in federal court.

SEC BASKETBALL

The game that raised eyebrows nationwide Tuesday was No. 19 Kentucky taking out No. 6 Duke, 77-72. That was unexpected because Duke has been talked up as practically a mortal lock to make the Final Four while Kentucky is adjusting to new coach Mark Pope. Obviously, Kentucky has adjusted well.

Here is where all 16 SEC teams are ranked by Ken Pomeroy, whose kenpom.com rankings are critical factors in the NCAA Tournament selections: 1. Auburn; 9. Tennessee; 10. Alabama; 18. Texas A&M; 20. Kentucky; 22. FLORIDA; 23. Texas; 24. Mississippi State; 32. Arkansas; 45. Oklahoma; 50. LSU; 63. South Carolina; 64. Ole Miss; 66. Missouri; 73. Georgia; 95. Vanderbilt

Tuesday’s games

No. 19 Kentucky (3-0) 77, No. 6 Duke (2-1)  72: Wake Forest transfer Andrew Carr led Ketucky with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

No. 25 Ole Miss (3-0) 64, South Alabama (1-2) 54: Vermont transfer Sean Pedulla had seven 3-pointers among his game-high 37 points to lead the Rebels.

South Carolina (2-1) 80, Towson (1-2) 54: Collin Murray-Boyles’ big night -- 27 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal -- led South  Carolina past Towson.

Georgia (3-0) 90, North Florida (3-1) 77: Freshman Asa Newell led the way with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 blocked shots.

Mississippi State (3-0) 80, Southeastern Louisiana (1-2) 59: Josh Hubbard had 23 points and 5 assists for Mississippi State.

Texas (2-1) 105, Chicago State (0-3) 58:  Tre Johnson led Texas with 19 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist.

Today’s games

Montana (2-1) at No. 11 Tennessee (2-0)

Kent State (2-0) at No. 5 Auburn (2-0)

Troy (2-0) at No. 18 Arkansas (1-1)

California (2-0) at Vanderbilt (2-0)

Thursday’s games

Mississippi Valley State (1-1) at Missouri (2-1)

LSU (2-0) at Kansas State (2-0)

Friday’s games

No. 20 FLORIDA (3-0) at Florida State (3-0)

No. 2 Alabama (3-0) at No. 13 Purdue (3-0)

Georgia (3-0) at Georgia Tech (2-1)

Ohio State (2-0) at No. 23 Texas A&M (2-1)

Saturday’s games

Stetson (1-2) at Oklahoma (2-0)

South Carolina (2-1) at No. 16 Indiana (2-0)

Jackson State (0-3) at Vanderbilt (2-0)

Colorado State (3-0) at No. 25 Ole Miss (3-0)

Mississippi Valley State (1-1) at Texas (2-1)

Sunday’s games

Austin Peay (3-0) at No. 12 Tennessee (2-0)

Utah (3-0) at Mississippi State (3-0)

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: On the Southeastern Conference Coaches Teleconference Wednesday, the king of the transfer portal issued a dire warning. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, who has built a championship level roster through the portal said the portal is so flawed that it leads to tampering and other serious issues.

“Again, it’s a really poorly thought-out system of the windows, when they are and people tamper all the time,” Kiffin said. “It’s just — so we just try to maximize the really poor system that’s been set up and try to avoid the distractions.

“And part of it — to finish that — part of the problem of the really poor system is creating these free agency windows and they happen before a season’s not even over. So, you’re just basically inviting kids to wander mentally and to get tampered with because when the windows are, people are still playing. Can you imagine the NBA or NFL, if free agency were to start in the playoffs? It would never happen. I don’t know that it’s very talked about but just think about that for a little bit.”

Let’s put the portal in perspective. It starts with the NCAA, which is clueless when it comes to common sense leadership. Put the NCAA in charge of it and they will screw it up. Guaranteed.

Common sense can solve the issues overnight. Here’s how to do it.

1. Freshmen must spend a fall and spring semester on campus before they transfer or else they sit a year.

2. Transfer without a 2.5 GPA and you sit a year.

3. Transfer and you’re still taking remedial courses, you sit a year.

4. Opt out during the season with the intention of transferring and you sit a year.

5. Opt out of the bowl game with the intention of transferring and you sit a year.

6. Negotiate an NIL deal prior to declaring for the portal and before the portal window is opening and the player is ineligible for an entire year. The school that signs the player is fined $100,000 for the first violation and loses FIVE scholarships. Second violation, $250,000 fine and lose TEN scholarships.

7. Any school caught tampering with players from another school during the season is fined $500,000 and loses TEN scholarships. Second offense, $1 million fine and lose FIFTEEN scholarships.

8. Five years eligibility. Period. No redshirts or medical redshirts. From the day you sign the clock ticks down. Injured three years? Still only five years eligibility. Break transfer rules and you sit a year, the year you sit counts against eligibility.