2023 Year In Review
58
Set the Texas Class 6A single-season record for touchdown passes.
72%
Completed 289 of 393 pass attempts.
4,605
Passing yards and carried the ball 100 times for 953 yards and 16 touchdowns.
1994
Led Willis to its best record in over 60 years and first trip to the regionals semifinals since 1994.
Gatorade
Gatorade National Player of the Year
Gators signee DJ Lagway has been selected as the 39th player to be honored as the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year, it was announced Friday. Lagway, who received the Gatorade Player of the Year Award for the State of Texas on Wednesday, was one of three finalists for the national award. The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Lagway as the nation's best high school football player.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes a select few each year which means Lagway was selected as the best player among the over one million student athletes that play high school football across the country.
QB Club
National Quarterback Club | High School Player of The year
The National Quarterback Club began honoring the game’s greatest quarterbacks in 1985 by recognizing the National Quarterback of the Year in the professional, collegiate and high school ranks. Some of the game’s most recognizable personalities have been recipients of the high school edition of the National Quarterback of the Year Award, including Jeff George (1985), Cale Gundy (1989), Brock Berlin (1999) Vince Young (2001), Tim Tebow (2005), Bo Nix and Spencer Rattler (2018) and Bryce Young (2019).
MaxPreps
MaxPreps National Player of the Year
Lagway has been named the 2023 MaxPreps National High School Football Player of the Year. The five-star quarterback prospect joins the likes of Derrick Henry (2012), Kyler Murray (2013, 2014), Bryce Young (2019) and Caleb Downs (2022) as winners of the honor over the past decade.
Lagway is the seventh player from Texas to win the MaxPreps National Player of the Year and first since 2021 when Cade Klubnik of Westlake (Austin) won it. He joins Riley Dodge of Southlake Carroll (Southlake), Garrett Gilbert of Lake Travis (Austin), Kyler Murray of Allen and Klubnik as quarterbacks from the Lone Star State to take home the honor.
Bobby Dodd
Bobby Dodd National Player of the Year Award
The ‘High School Heisman’ is given annually to the nation’s most outstanding player. Lagway, a 6’2, 225 pound QB from Willis, TX had a historic season. He threw for 4,600 yards and 59 TDs, in addition to rushing for 1,000 yards and 16 TDs. Lagway joins players like Arch Manning, Trevor Lawrence, Travis Hunter, Najee Harris, Tim Tebow, and Peyton Manning as winners of this prestigious award.
Mr. Texas
Mr. Texas School Football Player of the Year
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, the leading publication for all things football in Texas, and the TaxAct Texas Bowl are proud to announce Willis High School QB DJ Lagway as the recipient of the 2023 Mr. Texas Football High School Player of the Year Award presented by Kroger.
Several notable players have taken home this award in the past, including Kyler Murray in 2014 and Johnny Manziel in 2010. Lagway threw for 4,631 yards and a Class 6A record 58 touchdowns, adding nearly 1,000 more yards and 15 scores on the ground.
Elite 11
Elite 11 2023 Finalist
Founded in 1999, the Elite 11 is the premier quarterback event in the nation. Elite 11 event alumni include 28 of the past 32 current NFL starting quarterbacks, and 16 of the past 17 quarterbacks who have hoisted the Heisman Trophy. DJ Lagway was officially named to the 2023 Elite 11 following the competition's three-day finals event near Los Angeles.
Lagway established himself as one of the most intriguing passers at the event from the moment he walked off the bus given his 6-foot-2.5, 230-pound, muscular stature. His big arm took over from there, as Lagway made throws from every arm angle to each level of the field look routine throughout the first workout.
6A Record
All-Time 6A Season Passing Touchdown Record Holder
DJ Lagway set the Texas Class 6A single-season record for touchdown passes and brought Willis High School to its best record in 60 years with their first trip to the regional semifinals since 1994. In his senior year at Willis, Lagway completed 72.1% of his pass attempts over 4,605 yards with 59 touchdowns. He carried the ball 100 times across 953 yards and brought 16 touchdowns to the house.