MADISON, WIS. -- When Graham Mertz absorbed a significant hit by Michigan defensive back Daxton Hill early in the third quarter on Saturday afternoon, the quarterback believes it "felt like another shot."
However, as he stated, his "body just reacted a little different."
"Just I’m used to taking shots like that," Mertz told reporters on Monday. "Nothing crazy. Nothing out of the ordinary."
Mertz left the game thereafter with what UW designated as a chest injury. However, Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst disclosed after the contest -- which nosedived from a three-point deficit at the time of Mertz's departure into a 38-17 defeat to the now-No. 9 team in the latest AP poll -- that the redshirt sophomore signal-caller went to the hospital.
The program later noted in a statement on Saturday evening that Mertz was released from said hospital later that day. The quarterback recalled on Monday that after taking the sack credited to Hill and linebacker Josh Moss, he laid down but grasped it may be more than a standard hit when he "took a breath and felt a little bit different, so I had to go get evaluated."
"Just making sure everything was alright structurally and the organs, so it's all good," Mertz said.
Mertz acknowledged he "didn't really know" what was going through his mind at the time, though he trusted those doctors attending to him.
"It was this area over here," Mertz said, signaling with his right hand in circles towards the left side of his body that included his lower chest and ribcage area. "Didn't really know what."
“Went downstairs, got some extra tests, realized that it could be something else that we didn't know so went to go check it out. But yeah, we're all good.”
Mertz did not have his phone on him as he left straight from Camp Randall Stadium, but he said that his mom, Amy, texted with players that reached out to her. Chryst mentioned earlier on Monday morning that his mother was with Mertz in the hospital.
"For me, I got home and talked to my roommates and then kind of texted everybody back,' Mertz said. "Just let them know, 'Hey, this is what happened. All good.'
"So it was definitely not fun, but I'm good. I'm glad that we’re here today.”
Mertz confirmed during Monday's availability that he has thrown a football since the sack, stating it felt "good." He also acknowledged that he "was out there today" during the morning practice and stated he is taking it day-by-day.
The start of the 2021 season has not been kind to Mertz, who has completed 62-of-110 of his throws (56.4%) for 681 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions through four games. However, he rebounded from an 0-of-4 start passing against Michigan with two scoring drives that trimmed the Wolverine lead to 13-10 to end the first half.
Mertz finished that half 8-of-14 for 115 yards, with his last throw of the second quarter an 18-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Chimere Dike. He threw one deep incompletion to wide receiver Kendric Pryor on the first play of the third quarter before leaving the game two plays later.
UW (1-3 overall, 0-2 Big Ten) officially listed Mertz as questionable on its preliminary status report for Saturday's matchup against Illinois (2-4, 1-2) in Champaign (2:30 p.m. CT, BTN). He joins starting tight end Jake Ferguson among four others with that distinction.
If Mertz cannot go, redshirt junior Chase Wolf sits next in line on the depth chart. The fourth-year quarterback from Cincinnati entered Saturday's game and completed 3-of-8 passes for 52 yards with one touchdown, one interception, and one lost fumble each against Michigan.
“I got all my faith in 'Wolfie,'" Mertz said. "We go through every week, every rep together, and I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure I'm out there.”
