Graham Mertz

Graham Mertz is an American college football quarterback for the Wisconsin Badgers.

Graham Mertz
Wisconsin Badgers – No. 5
PositionQuarterback
Class
Redshirt
Freshman
Career history
CollegeWisconsin (2019–present)
Bowl games
High schoolBlue Valley North High School
(Overland Park, KS)
Personal information
Height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight216 lb (98 kg)

Early life

Mertz's first two years of high school were spent at Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, Kansas. While there, he played high school football and backed up all-state quarterback Carter Putz.[1] Before his junior year, Mertz transferred to Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kansas.[1] He led Blue Valley North to a Class 6A state championship as a junior, and to state runner-up as a senior. In his senior year he completed 61.1% of his passes for 3,886 yards and a state-record 51 touchdowns.[2] He was a finalist for the Elite 11 quarterback competition in 2018,[3] and was named Gatorade Kansas Football Player of the Year.[4] Graham was invited to the All-American Bowl after his senior season, where he set a bowl record with five touchdown passes and was named game MVP.[5]

Mertz was rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN, 247Sports.com, and Rivals.com.[6][7][8] ESPN rated him as the best pocket passer in the class of 2019 and 21st highest rated recruit overall.[8] In the 247Sports Composite, Mertz was rated as the third-highest rated pro-style quarterback, the highest rated Kansas recruit, and 65th highest rated recruit overall.[6]

Mertz committed to play football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison on October 9, 2017.[9]

College career

Three-year Wisconsin starting quarterback Alex Hornibrook announced that he would be transferring to Florida State for the 2019 season, leaving the starting role open for competition between Mertz and junior Jack Coan.[10][11] ESPN described Mertz as Wisconsin's "most hyped QB since Russell Wilson."[1] Mertz ultimately lost the starting job to Coan, and redshirted his true freshman season after appearing in two games.[12]

With Coan injured in practice before the 2020 season, Mertz began the season as the starting quarterback, becoming the first freshman quarterback to start a season-opening game for the Badgers since 1978.[13] Mertz started the game with 17 consecutive completed passes, tying the school record, and his final line of 20-for-21 broke the school single-game completion percentage record with 95.2%. His five passing touchdowns in the 45–7 win over Illinois also tied the school single-game record.[13] He was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week for the performance.[14] The day after the Illinois game, Mertz tested positive for COVID-19, in what would prove to be a team-wide outbreak that forced the cancellation of their next two games against Nebraska and Purdue. Mertz recovered in time for the team's next game against Michigan, which the Badgers won 49–11, despite a more subdued performance from Mertz, who threw for 127 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Wisconsin lost its next three games, against Northwestern, Indiana, and Iowa, with Mertz throwing four interceptions to just one passing touchdown during that stretch. In the final game of the regular season, against rival Minnesota, played on Big Ten Championship Saturday, Mertz left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury. The Badgers eventually won in overtime, 20–17.[15] The Badgers were invited to play against Wake Forest in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. Mertz went 11-for-17, with 130 passing yards and one touchdown in the 42–28 win. After the game, Mertz dropped the trophy in the locker room celebration, shattering the football made of glass on the top of the trophy.[16][17][18]

Statistics

As of December 20, 2020:[19]

Collegiate career statistics
Wisconsin Badgers
Season Games Games
started		 Record Passing Rushing
CompAttYardsPct.TDIntPass EffAttYardsAvgTD
2019 200–09107390.000151.3263.00
2020 663–3107176110860.885123.031260.80
NCAA Career Totals 863–3116186118162.485124.533321.00

Awards/honors
Big Ten Conference
  • 1x Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week (2020)[20]
  • 1× Big Ten Freshman of the Week (2020)[21]

Personal life

Graham's father, Ron Mertz, played football as an offensive lineman at Minnesota from 1989–92.[2][1] Graham has two sisters that played college basketball: Lauren, at Kansas State, and Mya, at Drake.[1]

References
  1. Rittenberg, Adam (June 4, 2019). "Graham Mertz is Wisconsin's most-hyped QB since Russell Wilson". ESPN.com.
  2. "Graham Mertz". UWBadgers.com. University of Wisconsin. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  3. Stampini, Luke (July 3, 2018). "247Sports' final ranking of the Elite 11 QBs". 247Sports.com.
  4. "Blue Valley North High School Student-Athlete Named Gatorade Kansas Boys Football Player of the Year" (PDF). Gatorade. December 6, 2018.
  5. Kocorowski, Jack (January 6, 2019). "Graham Mertz breaks a record, wins MVP honors at 2019 All-American Bowl". Bucky's 5th Quarter. Vox Media.
  6. "Graham Mertz, Blue Valley North, Pro-Style Quarterback". 247Sports.com. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  7. "Graham Mertz, 2019 Pro-style quarterback". Rivals.com. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  8. "Graham Mertz – Football Recruiting". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  9. Galloway, Jason (October 9, 2017). "Badgers football: Quarterback Graham Mertz commits for 2019". Madison.com.
  10. Fornelli, Tom (February 27, 2019). "Wisconsin quarterback Alex Hornibrook transferring from Badgers football program". CBS Sports.
  11. "Graham Mertz already creating buzz for Badgers". Fox Sports. Associated Press. April 25, 2019.
  12. Polzin, Jim (September 8, 2019). "Badgers freshman QB Graham Mertz says he'll likely redshirt". Madison.com.
  13. Potrykus, Jeff (October 23, 2020). "Wisconsin's Graham Mertz introduces himself to the college football world with a stellar first start". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Gannett. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  14. "Big Ten Football Players of the Week". BigTen.org. Big Ten Conference. October 26, 2020.
  15. "Larsh's FG lifts Wisconsin past Minnesota 20-17 in OT". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 19, 2020.
  16. "Wisconsin drops trophy after beating Wake Forest in Duke May's Bowl". USA TODAY. Associated Press. December 30, 2020.
  17. Boren, Cindy (December 31, 2020). "Wisconsin quarterback's untimely fumble shatters Duke's Mayo Bowl trophy". Washington Post.
  18. Grathoff, Peter (December 31, 2020). "Blue Valley North grad who shattered Wisconsin's bowl trophy rectified the problem". Kansas City Star.
  19. "Graham Mertz College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  20. "Big Ten Football Players of the Week". bigten.org. Big Ten Conference. October 23, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  21. "Big Ten Football Players of the Week". bigten.org. Big Ten Conference. October 23, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
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