2021 Wisconsin Fall Camp Preview: Graham Mertz leads quarterbacks

In early August, Wisconsin will open fall camp in preparation for the 2021 season opener against Penn State.

You know what that means -- position previews.

Graham Mertz lit up the Fighting Illini of Illinois in his first (and record-breaking) collegiate start in October of last year before coming down to earth during an adversity-laden 2020. Now the former four-star recruit will enter his second season as the Badgers' QB1, looking to improve upon his freshmen campaign and make UW's offense even more potent.

The quarterback position for UW, even without Jack Coan, still remains strong with Chase Wolf and Danny Vanden Boom behind Mertz.

Mertz started off scalding hot in his first ever collegiate start against Illinois, going 20-of-21 for 248 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. In that contest, he set a school record for completion percentage (95.1%) while tying the mark for touchdown passes.

However, Mertz faced trials thereafter. He tested positive for COVID-19 and also injured his right throwing shoulder in the program's first game back against Michigan, according to an April 2021 article on UWBadgers.com.

Mertz finished the remaining six contests completing a total of 98-of-172 passes (57% completion percentage) for 990 yards with four touchdowns to five interceptions.

"It comes with playing the sport. You get hurt and you go through stuff like that," Mertz told reporters on April 2. "Having to get like a cortisone shot during the week, stuff like that, but I'm not the one to sit here and make excuses for how I played. Having a little banged up shoulder doesn't justify losing three games and playing like that. I'm not gonna sit here and make that excuse because it's not."

For what it's worth, Mertz and the offense also battled stifling defenses in Northwestern, Iowa and Indiana in those three defeats. All three programs ranked within the top 20 in the FBS in scoring defense -- Northwestern (fifth), Iowa (sixth) and Indiana (tied for 19th). He also saw his top two wide receivers, Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor, miss a combined nine games in 2020.

Mertz rebounded during the final two games -- both wins -- to end the 2020 season on a more positive note. In those contests, he finished a combined 23-of-37 (62.2%) for 262 yards and a touchdown throw and no interceptions. He also scored two rushing touchdowns against Wake Forest in the 2020 Duke's Mayo Bowl.

Head coach Paul Chryst stated last week during his main podium speech during Big Ten Media Days that Mertz "did some really good things and has areas where he can improve upon it."

"What I appreciate from Graham is that he sees that and recognizes that," Chryst said on July 23. "And it doesn't matter if we're talking about Graham -- any player, any coach, you're looking for consistency and you're looking for consistency at a high level, and I think that he's capable of that. He's shown that he has the ability to do that.

"What I also love about this game is it's not just one guy. It's going to take everyone to -- he can certainly help them -- and whether it's guys on offense, our defense, our special teams, got to find ways to help them. I don't know that we're any different than any other team, we're at our best when our team is playing together and playing off of each other and playing for each other."

Mertz looked like Wisconsin's QB1 during the five spring practices open to reporters in April. Being the first signal caller up during periods, he delivered most of his passes on time, showed the arm strength to reach the deeper levels of the opposing secondary, and also displayed the knack to fit throws in tight windows.

The Kansas native told reporters in early April that he worked with Chryst during the winter in going back through the previous season to improve upon his first year as a starter. That included utilizing smoother footwork both under center and in the shotgun and "playing with great timing, great anticipation," according to the signal caller.

Wisconsin's offense needs to improve from its 2020 performance, both from Mertz and those surrounding him in the offensive huddle, even as presumed favorites in the recent 2021 cleveland.com Big Ten poll released last week. Jack Coan is off to Notre Dame as a grad transfer, and Chase Wolf showed that he could run the offense when called upon -- albeit with a couple interceptions in the final two games of the season. That being said, Mertz's development in year three under Chryst's system will be critical to the success of the team.

Tight end Jake Ferguson told BadgerBlitz.com during Big Ten Media Days that he believes Mertz has "stepped into that leadership role really well."

"He's had his confidence. He has a lot of confidence, which is good, but he's starting to gain that more where if something goes wrong, he wants to get it again," Ferguson said on July 23. "He's trusting his guys, and he's getting people out to throw when we're not scheduled to throw, just like out in the park field or something like that. Texting me in the morning, and it's good to see that out of him.

"I kind of feel like he's really stepping into that QB1 role where he is excited and he's comfortable and he wants to work, but at the same time, he wants competition. He wants somebody to come for his job, and that's really mature. Just not getting comfortable, not getting complacent, which is awesome."

There should be three quarterbacks behind Mertz for fall camp and the 2021 season. As mentioned previously, Wolf stepped in twice last year to lead the offense in the wins against Minnesota and Wake Forest.

Officially, he completed 6-of-8 passes for 29 yards with one touchdowns, but as mentioned above, he also threw two interceptions (one each against Minnesota and Wake Forest).

Wolf showed off his arm strength, the ability to make the necessary throws in Wisconsin's offense, and his mobility during the spring. Early in April before the handful of open practices to the media, Wolf told reporters that he "learned just to stay ready at all times" last season.

"You know, anything can happen, especially in crucial times of the game in the red zone," Wolf said on April 2. "Like anything can happen, never to settle, or be complacent. And I think I can just, I can improve on just kind of understanding the situation in the game.

"In the bowl game -- when I had the opportunity to play, two-minute drill -- I don't need to force anything downfield, stuff like that. Just kind of game situations that hadn't really been involved in yet, since I've been here. But I think that experience has helped me to understand the importance and how to work on it."

Fifth-year signal caller Danny Vanden Boom returns once again, while walk-on quarterback Daniel Wright announced on Monday via Instagram that he is in the transfer portal. That leaves the No. 4 spot apparently for true freshman Deacon Hill. Hill is a high three-star prospect from Santa Barbara, Calif. who was UW's third oral commit of its loaded 2021 class.