Willis quarterback DJ Lagway relishes the opportunity to work with his supporting cast and is thankful for them.
Lagway scored at least five touchdowns for the third time this season in a 63-14 victory over previously unbeaten Conroe on Friday, helping the Wildkats improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2016, all double-digit victories, and move to 2-0 in District 13-6A action.
Lagway credits camaraderie for the Wildkats’ early success.
“We have a big relationship this year and everybody knows the offense by heart – everybody knows what everybody’s doing,” Lagway said. “The receivers know what the linemen are doing and vice versa so I feel like everybody’s just together and we’re just clicking on all cylinders. And our defense, they’re playing lights out, man. I’m just thankful and honored to have a great defensive coordinator like coach (Jeff) Slafka to come out here and change it for us.”
The 6-2, 225-pound five-star recruit is the No. 6 player in his position across the country and the No. 10 overall player in Texas for this class, according to 247Sports. He committed to Florida last December.
“There’s no mountain he can’t climb and there’s no problem he can’t solve. He’s a tremendous young man and I’m proud of him,” Willis coach Trent Miller said.
Lagway made a strong first impression on Miller, who took over in March 2022. Miller said he had no idea who Lagway was when he saw him in the weight room for the first time and thought he was a defensive end or outside linebacker just based off his physique.
“I didn’t really know him at all when I took the job at Willis,” Miller said. “I knew of him, but I didn’t really know him and the relationship we’ve built over the last really 19 months has been special. I’m going to miss him when he’s gone, but he’s a first-class human being and he makes my job easy.”
Lagway went 15 of 25 for 290 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 44 yards and three more scores against the Tigers. In four games, he has thrown for 1,257 yards and 17 touchdowns to go with 207 rushing yards and four more scores.
He connected with DeBraun Hampton, Jalen Mickens and Cannon Roach for touchdown passes against the Tigers. Hampton and Mickens have each caught five touchdowns and Daylion Robinson has three.
Four receivers have at least 10 catches through four games, including Hampton (16), Mickens (17), Jermaine Bishop Jr. (16) and Robinson (10), while Terri Lawrence and A’mauree Holmes have seven apiece.
“We got six great Division I receivers, and you can’t cover all six,” Lagway said. “You may cover two at best, three at best, but you can’t cover all five, six of them and that’s the thing that’s going to be hard, they can’t cover everybody. So, I feel like somebody’s got to be one-on-one and our (WR) is going to win. …
“We’ve worked so hard for this like we’re just getting started, we got 12 more games to go and I’m just thankful for those guys.”
Lagway did throw an interception against the Tigers and has a total of three so far after throwing a pair in a 45-17 win versus Temple in Week 2.
“I feel like we just got a lot of things to clean up,” Lagway said. “(Conroe) was not our best day offensively, our defense came in clutch, it played amazing. I’m thankful for the guys around me. We came in, we rallied, we came and got the W.”
What’s so tough about facing a Wildkats defense that features Bishop, Earl Melebeck and Luke Reynolds, who each have picks, Kayde Hyde, Roach and Carter Jenkins, who have all recovered fumbles, and Brock Perry, who leads the team in tackles?
“Just the amount of blitzes that we have and it’s just really hard to get a grasp on what they’re doing, because they’re very manipulative,” Lagway said. “They’re everywhere and I just love the scheme.”
Lagway wants to leave Willis better than he found it. He remembers being part of the 2-8 team as a freshman. The Wildkats are 14-12 since then.
“We’re trying to get some playoff runs and trying to win state – that’s the biggest thing,” Lagway said. “Like whatever program I go to, God willing the NFL and college as well, I just want to leave it better than I found it, that’s the biggest thing for me.”
Willis will visit Grand Oaks in district play at 7 p.m. on Sept. 22. Miller said the Wildkats are kind of in uncharted territory right now with a 4-0 record.
“Just keeping them balanced, keeping engaged, keeping them locked in, not letting them get ahead of themselves,” Miller said. “Take a deep breath and take a step back, like I said, just keeping the main thing, the main thing.”
