Gators return starting QB in Graham Mertz for first time since 2020
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Gators bring back 15 of 22 starters from last season, including at the most important position in all of sports. For the first time in four years, Florida returns its starting quarterback in redshirt senior Graham Mertz.
Mertz isn’t receiving a lot of attention nationally this offseason, which is to be expected given last year’s record. But his decision to play another season at UF can’t be overlooked or overstated and has inspired confidence inside the program.
“He’s on a mission and looks primed for a big year,” a source said of Mertz. “He’s a huge reason why the team has a chance to be much improved.”
After becoming QB1 in 2019, Kyle Trask had a record-setting 2020 and was a Heisman Trophy finalist. Since then, the Gators have started a new quarterback in each of the last three seasons — Emory Jones, Anthony Richardson and Mertz.
All of them ended with a losing record, but Mertz was a bright spot for the Gators in 2023 and far exceeded his expectations after transferring from Wisconsin. He developed a reputation there for being turnover prone and inaccurate.
Mertz threw double-digit interceptions his last two years with the Badgers, including 11 picks against 10 touchdowns in 2021, and completed less than 60 percent of his pass attempts. He was the No. 24 transfer quarterback in the 2023 class.
Mertz outperformed his Wisconsin numbers and portal ranking in his first year at Florida.
He had a breakout season in 2023, throwing for a career-high 2,903 yards and 20 touchdowns while leading the SEC in completion percentage (72.9%) and fewest interceptions (3), all of which were tipped passes.
His best performance of the year was a career-high 423 passing yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning TD throw to senior receiver Ricky Pearsall, in UF’s 41-39 comeback win at South Carolina.
Of the 23 transfer quarterbacks ranked of Mertz in the 2023 class, only Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders was more productive than him last season. At 263.9 yards per game, Mertz finished with better stats than Notre Dame’s Sam Hartman (224.1), Kentucky’s Devin Leary (211.2) and Tanner Mordecai (206.6), his replacement at Wisconsin and the No. 4-ranked portal QB.
“He’ll prove to be than all those guys that were ahead of him,” the source said on Mertz.
Mertz received draft grades as a high as the third round but decided to return for another year at Florida after ending last season on a sour note. The Gators had a chance to upset No. 9 Missouri and No. 5 Florida State in the last two weeks, but lost Mertz before the fourth quarter at Mizzou and against FSU.
Without Mertz (broken collarbone) for the regular season finale, Florida finished with just 86 passing yards and a season-low 232 yards of total offense vs. the Seminoles. The UF offense had averaged 34 points in the previous three games and put up 488 and 500 total yards at LSU and Missouri.
After weighing whether to come back or enter the 2024 NFL Draft, Mertz is still hungry for more with the Gators and said he has unfinished business in Gainesville.
“Obviously, the season didn’t go the way we wanted it to, and I think that was kind of the main driving force in that,” Mertz said in December. “I think in the end being able to come back and be with this team for another year, I mean, I care about this place so much. Them taking the step and making the choice and getting me here, it was everything for me.
“I feel like I owe this place everything I got. I feel like I’ve said that a couple times up here, but I truly mean that. So, once I looked at all the options and kind of weighed everything out, just like I said in my post, unfinished business. I think that’s kind of the theme for me. A lot of stuff left on the table, and I want to win.”
