Graham Mertz Archives - Wisconsin Radio Network

Mertz, offense struggle in Badger loss at Northwestern (AUDIO)

November 22, 2020 By Bill Scott

Graham Mertz – Photo Courtesy of David Stluka / UW Athletics

Redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz committed three first half turnovers and four overall as the Wisconsin Badgers (2-1) fell to the Northwestern Wildcats
(5-0) (17-7 in Evanston, Illinois on Saturday.

The Badgers, who played without injured wide receivers Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor, lost for the fifth time in the last six trips to Evanston.

The Badgers managed just one score on 17 offensive possessions and finished three for 16 on third downs, committing five turnovers for the game. UW has committed 18 turnovers in the last six meetings against the Wildcats.

Graham Mertz, who hadn’t turned the ball over in his first two games, finished 23 of 41 for 230 yards with a touchdown [Read more…]

Badgers crush Wolverines, move to 2-0

November 15, 2020 By Bill Scott

The 14th ranked Wisconsin Badgers took advantage of a couple of Michigan turnovers early and went on to a convincing 49-11 win over the Wolverines on Saturday night in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Safety Scott Nelson and linebacker Leo Chenal intercepted Joe Milton in the first quarter and the Badgers quickly turned them into touchdowns for a 14-0 lead.

The Badgers (2-0) built a 28-0 halftime lead and were in cruise mode for the rest of the game.

Michigan (1-3) suffered its third straight loss and had no answer for the Badgers, who played without four starters and six additional players. The Badgers also lost defensive ends Matt Henningsen (elbow) and James Thompson (lower body), linebacker Mike Maskalunas (lower body) and safety John Torchio to injuries during the game.

Quarterback Graham Mertz, who tested positive for coronavirus one day after the season opener, got off to a slow start but settled in. He finished 12 for 22 for 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Wisconsin’s 38-point win was its largest-ever margin of victory over Michigan and is the 5th win in the last seven meetings against the Wolverines. The Badger win marked the first win by the road team in the series since the Badgers scored a 48-28 win over the Wolverines at the Big House in 2010.

The Badgers face a big road test next Saturday at Northwestern (4-0), a 27-20 winner over Purdue (2-1) on Saturday.

Big Ten Scoreboard

Indiana 24, Michigan State 0
Nebraska 30, Penn State 23
Northwestern 27, Purdue 20
Illinois 23, Rutgers 20

UW Quarterback Jack Coan making progress (AUDIO)

November 13, 2020 By Bill Scott

Paul Chryst

Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan is no longer wearing a protective boot on his broken right foot and is making progress after undergoing surgery on Oct. 7.

“Hopefully sooner than later we can get it to where he can start doing some field work,” said head coach Paul Chryst.

The Badgers return to action Saturday night (6:30 p.m. ABC) in Ann Arbor against the Michigan Wolverines. It’s the Badgers first game in three weeks after seeing games against Nebraska and Purdue cancelled due to high COVID numbers in the program.

Starting quarterback Graham Mertz is eligible to return to action for Saturday’s game after testing positive for coronavirus and working his way through the protocol. But Badgers coach Paul Chryst wouldn’t say whether it’ll be Mertz at quarterback on Saturday night against the Wolverines.

AUDIO: Paul Chryst says Jack Coan is still rehabbing but getting closer :16

AUDIO: Paul Chryst said there’s no timeline for Jack Coan returning, but he’s progressing :15

AUDIO: Paul Chryst says they’re preparing all three quarterbacks as if they’ll play :15

Wisconsin’s Mertz is out for 21 days

October 27, 2020 By Bill Scott

Graham Mertz (Photo by David Stluka/Wisconsin Athletic Communications)

Wisconsin Badger redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz will miss the next three games after a second COVID-19 positive test was confirmed. The news was first reported by CBS Sports.

Mertz made his starting debut last Friday night against Illinois and threw for 248 yards and five touchdowns in the Badgers season opening 45-7 win over Illinois. He was named the Big Ten’s Co-Offensive Player of the Week as well as the Conference Freshman of the Week.

Big Ten protocol requires any player who tests positive for COVID-19 to miss at least 21 days and undergo cardiac screening before being cleared to return. Mertz will miss Saturday’s game at Nebraska, a home game against Purdue and a road matchup at Michigan against the Wolverines.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mertz’ backup, Chase Wolf also tested positive for coronavirus and are awaiting results of a second test. The Badgers are getting ready for Saturday’s game at Nebraska and prepping fourth stringer Danny Vanden Boom as their starter.

Badgers could be down to fourth string quarterback

October 27, 2020 By Bill Scott

Danny Vanden Boom: PHOTO Courtesy of Kelli Steffes / UW Athletics

The Wisconsin Badgers are busy preparing for Saturday’s Big Ten matchup at Nebraska and they could be down to their fourth quarterback for the matchup.

Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported this week that quarterbacks Graham Mertz and Chase Wolf have both tested positive for coronavirus. Wolf wasn’t at the teams workout on Monday.

Both quarterbacks will require a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm the first positive result. If that test turns up negative for either player, then they could be available for Saturday’s game. A second positive test would mean they would have to miss 21 days, according to the Big Ten Conference’s protocol.

Starter Jack Coan is already sidelined after foot surgery and Mertz replaced him with a five touchdown performance against Illinois last Friday. If Mertz and Wolf are not available, then the next in line is redshirt junior Danny Vanden Boom.

Vanden Boom is the son of former Badger defensive back Matt Vanden Boom, who was an All-American back in 1981. [Read more…]

Badgers could be without Mertz

October 26, 2020 By Bill Scott

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.

Mertz, Badgers dominate opener over Illini

October 24, 2020 By Bill Scott

Graham Mertz (Photo by David Stluka/Wisconsin Athletic Communications)

The Wisconsin Badgers kicked off the 2020 college football season with a 45-7 thumping of the Illinois Fighting Illini without fans at Camp Randall Stadium.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz, in his first collegiate start, completed his first 17 passes and ended up completing 20 of 21 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns.

Mertz five touchdown passes tied the highest single-game total in UW history, matching the school record set by Darrell Bevell vs. Nevada in 1993 and Jim Sorgi vs. Michigan State in 2003.

The 14th ranked Badgers won their 25th straight home opener and their eighth straight game over the Illini in Madison. They avenged a one-point loss to the Illini in Champaign last season.

Illinois scored their only points after forcing a fumble by Badger tight end Jake Ferguson and linebacker Tarique Barnes [Read more…]

Badgers kick off 2020 season tonight

October 23, 2020 By Bill Scott

Graham Mertz – Photo Courtesy of David Stluka / UW Athletics

The college football schedule gets a bit more crowded with the start of Big Ten play this weekend. The 14th ranked Wisconsin Badgers kick things off Friday night against Illinois (7 p.m. kickoff) at Camp Randall Stadium.

Highly touted quarterback Graham Mertz makes his first collegiate start for the Badgers. The redshirt freshman from Kansas takes over for Jack Coan, who is out after having foot surgery.

While the Badgers are big favorites, Mertz will be challenged by an Illinois defense that ranked in the top 10 in takeaways last season. The Illini recovered 16 fumbles and intercepted 12 passes last season, which ranked fourth among FBS teams. Three of those 28 takeaways came against the Badgers last season, when the Illini came from behind to upset Wisconsin 24-23 in Champaign.

The Badgers have stressed ball security with Mertz during training camp and need that mentality to translate to the field on gameday. Coan threw just five [Read more…]

Coan undergoes successful surgery

October 7, 2020 By Bill Scott

Jack Coan

Wisconsin senior quarterback Jack Coan underwent successful surgery on his right foot Tuesday and will be out indefinitely.

Coan suffered the non-contact injury during practice on Saturday.

In his first full season as the Badgers’ starter in 2019, Coan completed a school-record 236 passes for 2,727 yards, the third-highest single-season total in UW history, with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions.

The Badgers are expected to go with redshirt freshman Graham Mertz as the teams starting quarterback in their Oct. 24th season opener against Illinois at Camp Randall Stadium.

Wisconsin’s Coan out indefinitely with foot injury

October 5, 2020 By Bill Scott

Jack Coan

The Wisconsin Badgers expect to be without senior quarterback Jack Coan for their October 24th opener against Illinois and likely beyond.

Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported that Coan injured his right foot during practice Saturday and is expected to be out at least several weeks.

Coan took over as the Badgers full-time starter last season after starting four games in 2018. He started all 14 games last season, completing 69.6% of his passes, finishing with 2,802 yards.

With Coan sidelined, UW’s top three quarterbacks likely are Graham Mertz, Chase Wolf and Danny Vanden Boom.

Mertz played in two games as a freshman last season and completed 9 of 10 passes for 73 yards. He had offers from Ohio [Read more…]