2021 Wisconsin Positional Review: Quarterbacks

Wisconsin ended its season on a winning note, clinging to a 20-13 win over Arizona State in the 2021 Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 30. After a brief break, UW will kick up winter conditioning as it begins its early preparation for the 2022 campaign.

Over the next two weeks, BadgerBlitz.com will review each position before turning the page from the 2021 season. Tuesday brings a look back on the quarterbacks and a passing game that currently ranks 83rd in the FBS in passing yards per completion (11.76), 105th in team passing efficiency (120.73) and 120th in passing offense (160.2 yards per game).

Wisconsin's passing game did not really find its groove for a full contest up until a three-game stretch in November against Rutgers, Northwestern and Nebraska. Quarterback Graham Mertz and the aerial attack put up 274, 229 and 145 total passing yards to complement the ground game in those trio of victories. Yes, the yardage versus the Huskers does not necessarily look outstanding, but UW ran for 252 yards thanks in part to Braelon Allen's 228-yard outing. However, Mertz still completed 12-of-18 throws for 145 yards with a touchdown pass and no interceptions against the Big Ten West foe.

Mertz looked his best in those wins, hitting on 41 of 57 for 601 yards with six touchdowns to only two interceptions. The Nov. 6 victory at Rutgers statistically was his best performance of the season, completing 11 of 16 throws for 240 yards with three touchdowns to one interception.

In the final five games of the 2021 season, including the loss at Minnesota and the bowl game win, Mertz hit on 66.3% of his passes, a vast improvement from the first two months.

The passing game overall, however, did not meet what expectations were on paper heading into the 2021 season. The offense returned three seniors as key receiving targets in wide receivers Danny Davis III and Kendric Pryor, along with tight end Jake Ferguson. Sophomore wide out Chimere Dike showed promise in 2020 and displayed his potential during spring and fall camps.

It did not come to be, either because of pass protection issues mostly seen in the first four games or Mertz and his receivers not executing on the field. For the latter, it could be quarterback reads or progressions, throws not in the right place, or even miscommunication as seen against Minnesota.

The passing game simply was not consistent enough side from the first three games in November and, one could add, the Las Vegas Bowl. During the first four games of UW's seven-game winning streak, it gained just 368 passing yards. Then again, the run game accumulated 1,045 yards in that timeframe as well.

Statistically speaking, the loss to Notre Dame inside Soldier Field on Sept. 25 looks the worst. Mertz completed only 18-of-41 throws for 240 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions. That included three picks in the fourth quarter, two of which were returned for touchdowns. In fairness, one can also attribute those pick-sixes as late, forced throws that tried to generate something late in the game.

Another low came at Minnesota to end the regular season, not just for the quarterbacks, but obviously the entire team losing Paul Bunyan's Axe and its opportunity to clinch a spot in the Big Ten championship game. After a solid three weeks airing it out, Mertz completed 21 of 38 passes (55.2%) for 171 yards with no touchdowns and a third quarter interception with the Gophers gobbling up the Badgers' ground attack.

This was Mertz's second year as a starter, and though 2020 ended with an abbreviated seven games, he now holds a 13-7 record as a starter. He has completed 296 of 487 passes (60.8%) for 3,269 yards with 19 touchdowns to 16 interceptions in his three years at UW.

Mertz has the skillset to make every throw you want out of a standout Power Five quarterback. His third down, 15-yard completion to Skyler Bell during the Las Vegas Bowl demonstrated some of that ability - rolling to his left while avoiding the rush and placing the ball where only the true freshman wide out could extended out and make a play.

Now comes the consistency part in making his progressions and reads, and, of course, executing. Once the offensive line settled down and allowed Mertz to become more comfortable in the pocket, you saw the third-year sophomore make some strides slowly but surely.

Not to put more pressure on Mertz (and the quarterbacks in general) for next season, but the level of play will absolutely need to increase without the aforementioned trio of senior receiving targets departing and younger players stepping into those roles.

Chase Wolf finished the year completing just 50% of his throws in limited playing time, mostly with the game in hand. The current fourth-year junior coughed up the ball with two interceptions in 16 passing attempts. When given the reins of the first-team offense with Mertz injured against Michigan, he completed only 3-of-8 passes for 52 yards and an interception (plus a late fourth-quarter touchdown pass). What strides can he make in 2022?

Fifth-year senior Danny Vanden Boom did not participate in a game this season. The Combined Locks, Wis., product could technically return with the extra year of eligibility, though he graduated this semester and he was also seen being carried off the field in one of the program's traditions with its seniors last week.

Deacon Hill's name was noted by a couple players a few weeks ago when discussing Badgers who stood out during bowl prep practices.

"Deacon, live arm. He's probably got the best arm in that room, in my opinion," safety John Torchio said on Dec. 14. "It was just fun to kind of see him get to craft and work.

"During the season, he's the scout QB, so he doesn't get to run our stuff, but he stood out as a guy that's, 'Wow, he's pretty good.' I like watching him. Plus, he's a fellow California guy, so gotta plug him there."

How will he develop further during his first spring ball? BadgerBlitz.com spoke with Hill two weeks ago, and will have an article about how he navigated his first season in Madison later this week.

2022 signee Myles Burkett will enroll in January to take advantage of spring ball practices. The three-star product claimed a WIAA Division I state title for Franklin in 2021 on way to a couple of state player of the year awards by the Associated Press and Gatorade.

Perhaps a broader question heading into the 2022 season -- how will Paul Chryst and his staff continue to help this room grow, both in developing the quarterbacks but also the offensive scheme as well?

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