DJ Lagway and Graham Mertz: A Dynamic Duo in Florida Gators Football

The Impact of Mentorship on Quarterback Development

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning:

If and when DJ Lagway lives up to the hype and plays like a Heisman Trophy-capable quarterback, how much credit will be given to Graham Mertz for his development? Even before his season-ending ACL tear against Tennessee, Mertz was proving his worth as a teammate and mentor to Lagway, who arrived at Florida as the No. 1 high school quarterback in the country.

It was an almost perfect pairing. Mertz was a team-first guy, willing to park his ego outside the Heavener Center. One of the most cerebral quarterbacks ever at Florida, he took Lagway under his wing. Mertz shared everything he knew—from commanding the huddle to reading defenses and knowing when to tuck the ball and take a sack. Lagway, it turned out, was the proverbial sponge, eager to absorb anything and everything Mertz could teach.

Lagway's Rise to Prominence

When Mertz went down with the injury against the Vols, Lagway was ready to step in and play. The moments when he played like a true freshman were few and far between. By the time the Gators faced Ole Miss, Lagway had returned from injury and sparked the Gators to four straight wins. The Gators now boast the longest winning streak in the Southeastern Conference as they head into the 2025 season.

In an interview on Sirius XM at SEC Media Days, Lagway was quick to credit Mertz for his development. He said, “Having Graham Mertz was the best thing that could ever happen to me. I always tell this story, but Coach (Billy) Napier came into the office going into my freshman year. He said, ‘Having Graham Mertz is going to be the best thing that ever happened to you.’”

“At first, I was like, ‘I don’t know.’ But looking back, Graham has been an amazing resource and still is to this day. And it’s great to kind of have him home back in my home city of Houston. Graham is just an amazing resource to have, an amazing human being, and I am just thankful to have him.”

Mertz's NFL Journey

Mertz was a sixth-round draft pick of the NFL Houston Texans. By all accounts, he is expected to make the Houston roster, largely because he’s already mastered the playbook. His journey from college star to professional athlete is a testament to his hard work and dedication.

Phil Steele's Top 40 Rankings

SEC Teams in the Spotlight

Phil Steele Top 40

1. Penn State

2. Clemson

3. Notre Dame

4. Texas

5. Ohio State

6. Georgia

1. Alabama

8. Oregon

1. Oklahoma

10. Michigan

11. LSU

12. SMU

13. Baylor

14. Miami

15. Boise State

16. Illinois

17. FLORIDA

18. Utah

19. Texas A&M

20. Indiana

21. Iowa State

22. Southern Cal

23. Arizona State

24. Kansas State

25. Toledo

26. Ole Miss

27. Memphis

28. Nebraska

29. Texas Tech

30. Georgia Tech

31. Florida State

32. James Madison

33. Iowa

34. Louisville

35. North Carolina

36. TCU

37. Pittsburgh

38. Texas-San Antonio

39. Liberty

40. San Jose State

SEC Order of Finish Predictions

Phil Steele Picks the Order of Finish in the SEC

1. Georgia

2. Texas

3. Alabama

4. (Tie) Oklahoma

   LSU

   Texas A&M

7. (Tie) FLORIDA

Ole Miss

Tennessee

10. (Tie) South Carolina

Auburn

12. (Tie) Arkansas

Missouri

14. Vanderbilt

15. Kentucky

16. Mississippi State

Around the SEC: Key Updates

Alabama

The Crimson Tide will play the nation’s 21st toughest schedule according to Phil Steele. They face Florida State in Tallahassee for their season opener, along with road games at Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, and Auburn. Home games include Wisconsin, Tennessee, and LSU. The Alabama football program is valued at $1.74 billion by The Athletic, ranking sixth nationally and third in the SEC.

Arkansas

While expressing a desire to have Arkansas State as a rival, Sam Pittman dismissed the idea of a home-and-home series. Arkansas State plays in a 30,000-seat stadium, and this year’s game will be held in Little Rock. The Razorbacks have the third toughest schedule in the country, with home games against Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Auburn, and Missouri, and road games at Ole Miss, LSU, and Texas. Arkansas football is valued at $646 million by The Athletic, placing it 10th in the SEC and 23rd nationally.

Auburn

Auburn has hired Jovon Hubbard from Arkansas as its new assistant general manager. Hubbard previously served as Sam Pittman’s director of player personnel. Phil Steele ranks Auburn’s schedule as the 17th toughest in the nation. The Tigers will host Georgia, Missouri, and Alabama while facing road games against Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Auburn ranks 13th nationally and eighth in the SEC, with its football program valued at $1.06 billion.

Florida

The Gators will face the nation’s 12th toughest schedule according to Phil Steele. They will play LSU, Miami, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss on the road, with Georgia in Jacksonville and home games against Texas, Tennessee, and Florida State. The Athletic ranks Florida seventh in the SEC and 12th nationally, with the football program valued at $1.08 billion.

Georgia

Chase Calicut, a 4-star safety from Houston, TX, was recently arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Calicut had chosen Georgia over Texas, Michigan, Ole Miss, and Alabama. Phil Steele gives Georgia the 44th toughest schedule in the country, with home games against Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas, and road games at Tennessee and Auburn, plus Florida in Jacksonville. The Athletic values the Georgia football program at $1.92 billion, second only to Texas in the country.

Kentucky

Kentucky’s schedule ranks as the ninth toughest in the nation, according to Phil Steele. The Wildcats will host Ole Miss, Texas, Tennessee, and Florida in Lexington, while facing road games against South Carolina, Georgia, Auburn, and Louisville.

LSU

The Tigers open their season at Clemson and then host Florida two weeks later. They have the nation’s sixth toughest schedule according to Phil Steele, with road games against Ole Miss, Alabama, and Oklahoma, and home games against South Carolina and Texas A&M. The Athletic values LSU football at $1.23 billion, ranking sixth in the SEC and 10th nationally.

Mississippi State

Phil Steele ranks Mississippi State’s schedule as the second toughest in the country. The Bulldogs will face Arizona State, Tennessee, Georgia, and Ole Miss at home, while going on the road to face Texas A&M, Florida, and Missouri.

Missouri

Missouri’s schedule ranks 50th on Phil Steele’s toughness rankings. The Tigers will host Kansas, South Carolina, Alabama, and Texas A&M, while facing road games against Auburn and Oklahoma.

Oklahoma

Phil Steele ranks Oklahoma’s schedule as the seventh toughest in the country. The Sooners will host Michigan, Auburn, Ole Miss, Missouri, and LSU, while facing road games against South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. The Oklahoma football program is valued at $1.49 billion, ranking seventh nationally and fourth in the Southeastern Conference.

Ole Miss

The Rebels have the No. 48 toughest schedule in the country per Phil Steele. They will host LSU, South Carolina, and Florida, while going on the road to face Georgia and Oklahoma back-to-back. Ole Miss football is valued at $591 million by The Athletic, ranking 11th in the SEC and 20th nationally.

South Carolina

South Carolina has the nation’s fourth toughest schedule according to Phil Steele. The Gamecocks open the season against Virginia Tech in Atlanta and have home games against Oklahoma, Alabama, and Clemson. Their road games include Missouri, LSU, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M. South Carolina football ranks 12th in the SEC and 22nd nationally, valued at $563 million.

Tennessee

The Vols’ schedule is the No. 47 toughest in the nation according to Phil Steele. They will host Georgia and Oklahoma but face road games against Alabama and Florida. Tennessee football was valued at $1.37 billion by The Athletic, ranking fifth in the SEC and ninth nationally.

Texas

Texas will start the season ranked No. 1 nationally. The Longhorns will play a schedule that Phil Steele ranks as the 16th toughest in the country. They start their season on the road at Ohio State and face Florida on the road and Oklahoma in Dallas in back-to-back weekends. There is also a road game at Georgia and a home game against Texas A&M. The Athletic values the Texas football program at $2.38 billion, making it the most valuable in the country.

Texas A&M

Phil Steele ranks Texas A&M with the nation’s 14th toughest schedule. The Aggies will play at Notre Dame, LSU, and Texas, while hosting Auburn, Florida, and South Carolina. Surprisingly, despite significant funding, the Aggie football program is valued at $973 million by The Athletic, ranking ninth in the SEC and 15th nationally.

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt’s schedule ranks 28th nationally on Phil Steele’s toughness scale. The Commodores will face Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee on the road, while hosting LSU, Missouri, and Auburn in Nashville.

One Final Pithy Thought

The NCAA, in its infinite wisdom, is considering expanding the basketball tournament from 68 to 72 or more teams. They believe this will give more deserving teams a chance to be Cinderella, even if just for a day. It doesn’t matter that adding more teams won’t necessarily improve the tournament. The reality is that there’s a better chance donkeys will fly before any of these expansion teams win the national championship.

Basically, the tournament will be diluted. However, the NCAA sees potential dollar signs.

The NCAA Tournament doesn’t need expanding. There’s an old Southern saying: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

The College Football Playoff isn’t broken either, but there’s already a push to expand from 12 to 16 teams. It seems to matter little that we’re only one year into the 12-team tournament, which worked quite well. Sure, there were minor glitches, but the format of five highest-ranked conference champions plus seven at-large teams was effective. Playing the first four games on campus was another success.

It isn’t fair that the top four rated teams get a bye but don’t get a home game to reward their fans. That’s fixable. The ranking system could also use some tweaking, but again, that’s manageable.

A smart approach would be to stick with the 12-team format for at least two or three more years. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has repeatedly stated that 12 teams is just fine. Other conference commissioners would be wise to heed his advice. If you put Sankey in a room with all the other conference leaders, you can be assured of one thing—Greg Sankey will be the smartest guy in the room.

Before tackling the additional issues that come with adding four more teams, let’s work out the glitches in the 12-team format. Let it run smoothly and allow television ratings to build up so that fans demand more teams. That’s a common-sense approach.

Unfortunately, because it is common sense, it seems unlikely that the current format will last more than another year or possibly two. Common sense and the majority of decision-makers in college sports are like two ships passing in the night—about 1,800 miles apart.