Former Wisc QB Graham Mertz - SEC Player of the Week - I don't know what to believe anymore

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SEC... it just means more. You can go from on the cusp of getting benched at a mid-level Big Ten team to one of the best QBs in the SEC.

In all seriousness, this is a case where I am a fan of the transfer portal. Each player has a specific skillset and for whatever reason it just didn't work out in Madison. He transfers and is now a legit pro prospect.
 


MNfootballfan said:
SEC... it just means more. You can go from on the cusp of getting benched at a mid-level Big Ten team to one of the best QBs in the SEC.

In all seriousness, this is a case where I am a fan of the transfer portal. Each player has a specific skillset and for whatever reason it just didn't work out in Madison. He transfers and is now a legit pro prospect.
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I agree. The portal is great for extending careers and finding better fits.
 

Goldmember said:
1. Mertz is a good P5 QB. Every bit as good as advertised in HS.

2. Wisconsin is a raging dumpster fire in the post-Alverez era.
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It’s just wild this is the same dude who threw passes against us that fell in no man’s land … 15 yards from anyone… and now is doing gud.
 

Many of these coaches started coaching Div III and worked up. One year they are the running back coach, next QB. Your lucky if you find a good QB coach.
 

He did win the same award in the Big Ten for his 20 for 21 with 5 TD debut game against a bad pre-Bert Illinois team in 2020.

It was all downhill from there. But he has shown he can perform against non-P5 and bottom tier major teams.
 



A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
It’s just wild this is the same dude who threw passes against us that fell in no man’s land … 15 yards from anyone… and now is doing gud.
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That was weird. If I woulda been home I would have laughed in my mom’s face like she did to me when leidner had the 4th quarter melt down. Yeah, I have issues
 

Remember when I was made fun of for saying Mordecai is no better than him?
 


Goldmember said:
1. Mertz is a good P5 QB. Every bit as good as advertised in HS.
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I agree.

Goldmember said:
2. Wisconsin is a raging dumpster fire in the post-Alverez era.
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A "raging dumpster fire"?

Wisconsin, post-Alvarez, season by season:

2006: 12-1
2007: 9-4
2008: 7-6
2009: 10-3
2010: 11-2
2011: 11-3
2012: 8-5
2013: 9-4
2014: 10-3
2015: 10-3
2016: 11-3
2017: 13-1
2018: 8-5
2019: 10-4
2020: 4-3
2021: 9-4
2022: 7-6
2023: 4-2
 







Spoofin said:
And still lacks much talent at WR.
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So, in the end, having a bigger arm, being taller, being a better runner... none of that means all that much. It certainly isn't enough to make up for lack of talent at wide receiver and conservative play-calling by the staff.

Good to know.
 

RememberMurray said:
So, in the end, having a bigger arm, being taller, being a better runner... none of that means all that much. It certainly isn't enough to make up for lack of talent at wide receiver and conservative play-calling by the staff.

Good to know.
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I think the history of athletic QBs pretty much shows they either have to be better than we actually think at passing or… career flames out fast.

It sounds like an athletic/ big arm / fast QB would create a lot more opportunities / make up for lesser passing abilities …. but it just doesn’t seem like it.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
I think the history of athletic QBs pretty much shows they either have to be better than we actually think at passing or… career flames out fast.
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This is just my opinion, but to me, athleticism at QB is far less important than the mental aspects of playing the position.

Arm strength and running ability are nice traits for any football player to have, but if an athlete who plays QB can't develop excellent mechanics, can't consistently make the right reads, is not good at accurately placing his throws in tight windows, doesn't have good rhythm and timing, etc., well... he will probably struggle to perform well as a QB.
 


RememberMurray said:
This is just my opinion, but to me, athleticism at the QB position is far less important than the mental aspects of playing the position.

Arm strength and running ability are nice traits to have, but if an athlete can't develop excellent mechanics, can't consistently make the right reads, is not good at accurately placing his throws in tight windows, doesn't have good rhythm and timing, etc., well... he will probably struggle to perform well as a QB.
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Yeah it seems like QBs are born.

Coaching can make them worse but I don’t think they can make an ok QB great who just doesn’t have the mental tools / instincts / speed to do it.
 

RememberMurray said:
So, in the end, having a bigger arm, being taller, being a better runner... none of that means all that much. It certainly isn't enough to make up for lack of talent at wide receiver and conservative play-calling by the staff.

Good to know.
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I didn’t say any of that. This started by me commenting on Mertz. All those things you listed can only help. They don’t determine a good QB by themselves. Not really sure what you are getting at, but that’s often the case.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Yeah it seems like QBs are born.

Coaching can make them worse but I don’t think they can make an ok QB great who just doesn’t have the mental tools / instincts / speed to do it.
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Yes.

And a QB who happens to be really simpatico with his coaches has a huge advantage.

A QB who clearly understands what the staff is trying to accomplish on a given play or offensive series, who readily grasps the overall offensive scheme, will generally do pretty well.
 

Spoofin said:
I didn’t say any of that. This started by me commenting on Mertz. All those things you listed can only help. They don’t determine a good QB by themselves. Not really sure what you are getting at, but that’s often the case.
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So true. So true.
 


Spoofin said:
So, did the Big Ten just play better defense after 2019? Sorry your lofty WR promises didn’t pan out this year Murray 🤷‍♂️
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Overall, after 2019?

I have to say: I don't know.

I am pretty sure, though, that Minnesota's defense outplayed Auburn's vaunted defensive unit in the Outback Bowl after that season. I can still hear the TV crew gushing over Auburn's personnel... right up until the end of that game.
 

RememberMurray said:
Overall, after 2019?

I have to say: I don't know.

I am pretty sure, though, that Minnesota's defense outplayed Auburn's vaunted defensive unit in the Outback Bowl after that season. I can still hear the TV crew gushing over Auburn's personnel... right up until the end of that game.
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We defeated Heisman hopeful Bo Nix.

Why their offense refused to throw short passes still amazes me. They did it on one drive and got a TD, then stopped.

From the first play of the game we played the DBs way off the line and I wondered how long until we had to adjust, they never made us adjust…

Another QB with mixed results who caught fire elsewhere.

Makes me hopeful that there might be diamonds out there.
 

RememberMurray said:
2021: 9-4
2022: 7-6
2023: 4-2
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This is it.
Alverez retired summer of 2021 (as AD).

Unlike all other ADs, Alverez was effectively a HeadHead Football Coach. CEO of the program. It’s why Bielema left. HC wasn’t a true HC job while Barry was AD. He was highly involved in the day to day operations of the of the football program and was widely reported to have made ALL of the significant decisions right until the moment he retired and was replaced. The new guy started gutting everything 15 months after he left.
 


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