WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    The Brewers Tried to Get Two All-Star Hitters at the Trade Deadline

    August 14, 2022

    Matt LaFleur Has Strong Words After Jordan Love’s Three INT Performance

    August 13, 2022

    Rashan Gary Levels Player During Pre-Season Game While In Street Clothes

    August 13, 2022
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • The Brewers Tried to Get Two All-Star Hitters at the Trade Deadline
    • Matt LaFleur Has Strong Words After Jordan Love’s Three INT Performance
    • Rashan Gary Levels Player During Pre-Season Game While In Street Clothes
    • Three Studs and Duds from the Packers Preseason Matchup vs. 49ers
    • How to Watch Packers At 49ers Preseason Game Live
    • Three Position Battles to Watch in Packers First Preseason Game
    • Wisconsin Football Schedule Prediction: Part 3
    • Family Night Film Study: Breaking Down A New Pressure Package
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Mark Mayfield
    • Our Writers
    • Store
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics
    JOIN OUR GROUP
    • Packers
      • Aaron Rodgers News
      • Packers News
      • Packers Rumors
    • Bucks
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo News
      • Bucks News
      • Bucks Rumors
    • Brewers
      • Brewers News
      • Brewers Rumors
    • Badgers
      • Wisconsin Badgers Basketball
      • Wisconsin Badgers Football
    • Marquette
      • Marquette Basketball
    • Milkmen
      • Milwaukee Milkmen News
      • Milwaukee Milkmen Rumors
    • Podcasts
      • CheeseDads Sports
      • Packers Podcast
      • Wickett On Wisconsin
    • Fantasy
    WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics
    Home»Sports»Wisconsin Badgers»Wisconsin Has A Quarterback Problem (again)
    Wisconsin Badgers

    Wisconsin Has A Quarterback Problem (again)

    mwickettBy mwickettSeptember 7, 2021Updated:September 7, 2021No Comments6 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Sep 7, 2019; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz (5) rolls out to pass during the fourth quarter against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The Wisconsin Badgers have a quarterback problem. I know this may sound repetitive (as in “every year that didn’t involve Russell Wilson”) but once again, the UW expectations were high (preseason #12) and they likely will falter (or succeed) based on their quarterback’s performance. 

    Post Barry Alvarez QB History Is Gross

    Barry Alvarez took the Wisconsin football program to new heights but not to the upper echelon. Try not to gag here, but when you’re trying to measure Wisconsin quarterbacks in this era (post Barry) up against the best in the country, you aren’t winning many big games with the likes of John Stocco (2003-’06), Tyler Donovoan (04-07), Curt Phillips (‘08-’12 – admittedly, I had high expectations for Phillips), Joel Stave (‘12-’15), Alex Hornibrook (‘15-’17), Jack Coan (‘17-20 … more on him in a second) and others (Dustin Sherer, Allan Evridge, Tanner McEvoy…Danny O’Brien??)  Nice guys. Good guys. Fine high school players. Most were “solid”. But Wisconsin isn’t going to break through from the tier of “REAL GOOD” programs to “GREAT” programs as long as they can’t recruit and DEVELOP a top tier quarterback.

    If you’re OK with winning the Big Ten’s West Division and that’s it, then I’m sure this trend is just fine with you. But I’m pretty sure Badgers fans around the state of Wisconsin are getting sick of ALMOST getting there, only to come up short. 

    Nov 3, 2018; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Paul Chryst walks the sidelines during the second quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

    The Arrival

    BUT THEN, October 20th, 2020 happened….he came. He threw FIVE touchdowns in his debut. Graham FREAKING Mertz. Look out Ohio State because THE HAS SAVIOR ARRIVED…or so you thought. That night, Mertz set Badgers fans to the beer fridge over and over to celebrate one of the great performances in school history (20/21 248 yards, 5TDs). Beers were chugged. Visions of Big Ten CHAMPIONSHIPS were dancing through Wisconsinites heads!! 

    Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz threw four touchdown passes in the first half Friday night.
    Uwgrid24 11

    The Disappearing Act

    Here’s the problem: That Graham Mertz hasn’t shown up since. Since that day, Mertz has been BAD. In the 7 games since his starting debut, he’s 120-209 (57%). He’s thrown for 1,175 yards. (167 ypg) and just 4 touchdowns vs 7 interceptions. PUKE. There is no Melvin Gordan, Montee Ball, Jonathan Taylor or any other GREAT running back to rely on this year. (For some reason, last year’s leading rusher, Jalen Berger, didn’t even play in the opener).

    We don’t know how good the defense is this year but it doesn’t matter. Look at last year’s College Football Playoff quarterbacks: Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Mac Jones & Ian Book. 3 were 1st round picks last April and the other went in the 4th round. The Badgers usually have good offensive lines, defenses, running backs, tight ends and receivers just like the big boys. Know what they lack? A 1st round signal caller.

    Penn State’s Ji’Ayir Brown intercepts Wisconsin’s Graham Mertz’s pass to seal a victory for the Nittany Lions at Camp Randall Stadium (Stacy Revere / Getty Images)

    A Tale of Two Offseasons

    In the offseason, Mertz went to practice & watched film (I’m certain). But he also was one of the 1st to go public when the Name/Image/Likeness rules changed for college athletes.

    https://twitter.com/GrahamMertz5/status/1420413716382818304

    I’m not saying this has caused him to regress or play poorly. What I am saying is that when your team is depending on you and you’re the focal point of an offense that you’re struggling to succeed with, should you be spending ANY of your time trying to make money selling shirts? (And for the record, I’m 100% on board with NIL) Meanwhile, in the same offseason, Jack Coan transferred to Notre Dame. Brian Kelly named him the starter. Did you see his debut over the weekend? If you’re a Badgers fan, I hope not. In his 1st start for The Irish, Coan went 26/35 for 366 yards & 4 TD’s in a road win at Florida State. Notre Dame has Toledo this week and then Purdue. Guess who they play the week after on 9/25? Wisconsin. You better believe Coan will be amped for that one. 

    Nov 30, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Jack Coan (17) calls a play from the huddle during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

    2021 Week #1

    The 2021 season was supposed to start things anew for Mertz. Unfortunately, it didn’t. He didn’t play well. He hasn’t looked like he’s gotten better since last year. And please don’t tell me about COVID-19 messing things up in 2020. Ohio State’s Justin Fields looked pretty damn good and he played in the same conference. Iowa’s Spencer Petrus got better EVERY GAME. Fans are rightfully upset and wondering if Paul Chryst made the wrong choice basically giving the starting job to Mertz with no shot of Coan getting it back. 

    Mertz since the 5 td game: https://t.co/GKplFq8Rsa

    — Mike Wickett 🇺🇲🎙🏈🏀👨‍👧‍👧👩‍👦🤘🚀 (@mikewickett) September 4, 2021

    Wisconsin didn’t lose to Penn State because they couldn’t run the ball or because the offensive line played poorly or because the defense was trash. None of those happened. They lost to Penn State because the quarterback was 22-37 for 185 yards & 2 INT’s + roughly 24 fumbles (by my unofficial count). 

    You’ve Been Here Before 

    The ‘21 opener against Penn State was a problem for Mertz. He still locks on to a wide receiver the way I look at a cold Miller Lite. Bad snaps. Fumbles. Interceptions. Credit to Mertz for answering EVERY question following that performance at Camp Randall. He KNOWS he played bad. And before you say it, I know – “The other team plays too” and “Penn State plays good defense”…blah blah blah. The Badgers have yet ANOTHER quarterback question this year. It was ugly but not unfamiliar. If this was year #1 for Mertz in the system or as a starter, I wouldn’t write this article. But it’s year #3 and it’s becoming a trend for him. If it doesn’t change, the preseason expectations of a Big Ten Title game birth and a magical season for Wisconsin will be gone before October. 

    [pickup_prop id=”10898″]

    Follow me on Twitter at @mikewickett and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. Check out our merch page here and use promo code Wisco at check out for $1 off! To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!

     

    2021 College Football Graham Mertz Quarterback wisconsin football
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    mwickett

    Related Posts

    Wisconsin Football Schedule Prediction: Part 3

    August 12, 2022
    Former Patriots and Wisconsin Badger James White

    James White Retires After Eight NFL Seasons

    August 11, 2022

    Wisconsin Football Preview: Secondary

    August 9, 2022
    volleyball

    Wisconsin volleyball will reload, not rebuild

    August 9, 2022
    Add A Comment

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    TRENDING

    The Brewers Tried to Get Two All-Star Hitters at the Trade Deadline

    August 14, 2022

    Matt LaFleur Has Strong Words After Jordan Love’s Three INT Performance

    August 13, 2022

    Rashan Gary Levels Player During Pre-Season Game While In Street Clothes

    August 13, 2022

    Three Studs and Duds from the Packers Preseason Matchup vs. 49ers

    August 12, 2022

    How to Watch Packers At 49ers Preseason Game Live

    August 12, 2022

    Three Position Battles to Watch in Packers First Preseason Game

    August 12, 2022
    WI Sports Heroics
    Facebook Twitter
    • Advertisement
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Store
    © 2022 WISportsHeroics All Rights Reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.