What Florida football legend Danny Wuerffel told Graham Mertz about being a Gator QB
As the new starting quarterback for Florida football, Graham Mertz let his hair grow out this summer after arriving on campus last January with a more clean-cut look.
“This is what camp does to you," Mertz said. "I’ve needed a haircut for about a month now.”
Mertz's dedication to the grind was one of the big factors in him earning the starting job for the Florida Gators. According to teammates, Mertz was one of the first in the Heavener Center every morning, and one of the last ones to leave. The goal now for the Wisconsin transfer is to help lead the Gators to success in head coach Billy Napier's second season.
Mertz has confidence that the offense can thrive when the 2023 season begins Aug. 31 at No. 14 Utah. After playing predominantly under center at Wisconsin, Mertz will get reps out of the shotgun and get an opportunity to check in and out of plays depending on what the defense shows him.
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"I’m very psyched about what this offense can be," Mertz said. "I think just from the start of camp until now, we’ve made strides in taking care of the ball, being aggressive, taking what the defense is giving us and when we have the opportunity to strike, we will."
Mertz understands history of UF football quarterbacks
Mertz said he understands the expectations of being a Florida quarterback. One of the first things Mertz did when he visited the Florida campus last December was to pay homage to the statues of UF's three Heisman quarterbacks --- Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow -- outside of the Swamp.
"You know the history that goes along with that," Mertz said. "You've got to honor that every day."
Mertz said he hasn't spoken to Tebow or Spurrier yet but met Wuerffel shortly after arriving at UF.
"We sat down (at the Heavener Center) and talked 30 minutes, just about life," Mertz said. "Yeah, we talked about Florida and the football and all that, but the one thing I appreciate a ton from him is just he genuinely cares about the human aspect of it. That’s really special."
In addition to learning the playbook, Mertz has taken the lesson from Wuerffel in terms of bonding with teammates. That includes at times selecting the music played in the locker room.
"I love all types of music, so I think I kind of go with the flow of the day, see what the guys are feeling," Mertz said. "Whether it's country rap, R&B. I'm a fan of all music, so I think the guys appreciate that. You've got to know the room.”
So far, teammates have been impressed with Mertz's dedication and leadership as a transfer.
"He just got here, but he acts like he's been here," Florida running back Montrell Johnson said. "He leads the team. He talks to us in a way like a coach would talk to us kind of, and you obviously hear him in the meeting room."
How Graham Mertz intends to handle pressure of UF quarterback job
Florida football fans have been clamoring for an SEC title since the Gators last won one in 2008, which also was the last year UF won a national championship. UF's starting quarterback last season, Anthony Richardson, went 6-6 before declaring for the NFL Draft last December, where he was taken fourth overall by the Indianapolis Colts. Richardson started the preseason opener for the Colts and on Tuesday was named their starting quarterback for the 2023 season.
As UF's season went south in 2022, Richardson endured some heat from the fanbase. How will Mertz handle it when he throws his first interception or loses his first game? Mertz said his social media accounts aren't disabled but says he doesn't "dive into them" either.
"In the world today, there’s so many distractions," Mertz said. "If you let distractions override your day-to-day process, you lose that little edge in there.
"I don’t pay attention to it. I know some people do. Everybody finds motivation in different things, and some people, that might be a way to find motivation. But for me, I found my motivation in my team and knowing I need to do my job better for every single guy in there."
Mertz lived in a fishbowl at Wisconsin, where he was expected to lead the Badgers to a Big Ten title after coming out of high school at the top-rated pocket passer of the 2019 class. His career at Wisconsin ended with a 19-13 record as a starter, with 36 touchdowns thrown to 28 interceptions.
The change of scenery to Florida gives Mertz a chance to write a different chapter to the end of his college career.
"God put me here for a reason," Mertz said. "He put me here with this coaching staff, and I'm forever thankful for that because now I'm freed up to just go play.”
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida Gators QB Graham Mertz ready to take on starting role
