GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, who has been recovering from an injury, participated in practice for the third straight day on Wednesday, indicating he is making strides towards a possible return for the game against No. 21 LSU.

“He is getting closer and closer to being ready to play,” stated coach Billy Napier after practice. “We are replicating a game-day atmosphere with the treatment and adjustments we’re implementing to ensure he feels comfortable. … He reported feeling better today than he did the day before. We are hopeful that trend continues tomorrow.”

Lagway, a highly regarded freshman, suffered a strained left hamstring during the game against Georgia on November 2 and was taken off the field on a cart. He was seen on the sidelines later in the game with his leg wrapped and using crutches.

Medical evaluations indicated that the severity of his injury was “less significant” than first believed, and Napier anticipates Lagway will return this season. The question remains whether he will be on the field against LSU.

The Gators, sitting at 4-5 overall and 2-4 in the Southeastern Conference, could greatly benefit from Lagway’s return as they aim to win two out of their remaining three games to qualify for postseason play.

LSU enters the matchup with a record of 6-3 and 3-2 in their conference, and they have encountered difficulties defending against dual-threat quarterbacks. In recent weeks, they allowed Jalen Milroe from Alabama to rush for 185 yards and score four touchdowns, just two weeks after Marcel Reed of Texas A&M ran for 62 yards and three touchdowns against them.