Everything looked easy in week one for redshirt-freshman QB Graham Mertz at a time when it had every reason to be a struggle. His first collegiate start came five weeks ago, even though it may feel like five years ago, and he looked like anything but an inexperienced signal caller making his first Big Ten start.
Completing his first 17 passes against Illinois in week one en route to a 49-7 win, the “Kansas Kannon” was firing on all cylinders. Then, as has been the case for so many programs at all levels, COVID-19 hit Mertz and the Badger program and the hype train ground to a halt. It was the first test of adversity for the young QB off the field, and although he didn’t look like the week one world beater, Mertz took care of the football and the Badgers steamrolled to a week four victory at Michigan in their return.
Enter Ryan Field and Northwestern in act three for “Mertz mania,” a nemesis that just seems to have Wisconsin’s number no matter who puts on the red and white. The Wildcats roughed up Mertz in a 17-7 crushing loss for the Badgers, and now are in the drivers seat for a Big Ten West title. Adversity for Mertz hit him on the field for the first time in his young Badger career.
Four first half turnovers later, including two interceptions from the young quarterback, Wisconsin trailed 14-7 at halftime in a game that felt as though the Badger offense lacked any and all rhythm. At the end of the 17-7 loss and a second half that somehow felt even worse offensively for an undermanned UW team than the first, Mertz could have had every excuse in the book for his four total turnovers.
The surprise news that Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor, Mertz’s top two targets, were out for undisclosed reasons would be at the top of the list. Instead, the Kansas native did what leaders do and took responsibility while using this as a learning moment in his young career.
“Northwestern is a great veteran defense and they knew what was coming with our progressions,” said Mertz postgame. “It was something I would love to get back, but now it’s just taking them as a learning experience and growing from it.”
This is the type of game that almost every QB at a new level will have as a first-year starter. It’s about how you respond that writes your legacy. Mertz is already looking forward to keeping the one item in Madison that matters most to Badger fans: The Axe.
“Im excited to see where this team takes the next step,” said the Badgers QB. “Its going to be a great team from this point on. We are going to go get the axe, we are going to keep the axe.”
Mertz has the chance to put words into action next Saturday against Minnesota, and no matter who is on the field you can bet No. 5 likes his chances.
“Its next man up here we always preach that, I never lost any confidence,” said Mertz when asked about losing his top two targets.
Everything is not going to look like the cakewalk that was week one for Mertz, but neither a performance like that or a performance like this is going to dictate who he is. When a loss falls largely on No. 5, he will be the first to take the responsibility that he took today. He has made it clear, even after an afternoon like this, that Wisconsin has their leader of the future.