Graham Mertz – Photo Courtesy of David Stluka / UW Athletics

After completing 20 of 21 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-7 win over Illinois on Friday night, Wisconsin redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus.  The story was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Sunday.

Mertz took over for starter Jack Coan, who suffered a right foot injury earlier this month and underwent surgery on Oct. 7.

According to Big Ten protocols released last month, athletes who test positive through point of contact daily testing will require a polymerase chain reaction test to confirm the first result.  If a second test confirms Mertz has the coronavirus, he will have to sit out at least 21 days.

The Badgers will face the Nebraska Cornhuskers this Saturday in Lincoln.  They’ll host Purdue the following week (Nov. 7) and then face Michigan (Nov. 14) in Ann Arbor.

If Mertz is out, the job would likely go to Chase Wolf with Danny Vanden Boom as his backup.