Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier announced Graham Mertz as his starting quarterback Friday evening. Napier announced the decision just one day after the team’s first scrimmage.
#Gators HC Billy Napier has informed QB Graham Mertz, who transferred from Wisconsin, that he will be starting QB. Mertz has been front-runner since spring.
— Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) August 11, 2023
Mertz is a fifth-year redshirt junior who transferred to Florida after four years with Wisconsin. While with the Badgers, the Overland Park, KS native threw 38 touchdowns and 26 interceptions across 34 games.
In 2022, Mertz tossed 19 scores and ten interceptions while completing 57% of his passing attempts.
Mertz entered the transfer portal following the tumultuous season that saw head coach Paul Chryst fired mid-season.
Mertz was in a quarterback battle with Jack Miller, a former Ohio State transfer who started the Las Vegas Bowl last year, and Max Brown, the first high school QB brought in by Napier.
Florida will travel to Salt Lake City to take on Utah in its season opener on August 31.
[…] Florida head coach Billy Napier announced on August 11 that Mertz would be the starting quarterback for the 2023 […]