Florida football QB competition of Graham Mertz and Jack Miller nearing a close

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Florida football coach Billy Napier chose not to bring quarterbacks Graham Mertz or Jack Miller to SEC Media Days on Wednesday but expressed confidence in either capable of running the offense for the season opener on Aug. 31 at Utah.

That's right. Napier hasn't made a decision on a quarterback yet. Rumblings suggest that Napier is leaning toward Mertz to replace the departed Anthony Richardson, based on his experience as a three-year starter at Wisconsin and what he's done in offseason workouts.

"Pleased with what Graham brings to our team," Napier said. "When you think about over 2,000 snaps, 32 starts, he’s caused others to respond. Jack (Miller) has responded and is having a great offseason."—

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Asked for the timetable regarding the quarterback decision, Napier remained coy. He suggested possibly after the first scrimmage of the fall but didn't hold it as a firm deadline.

“I think it’ll happen relatively quick," Napier said. "We’re not going to make a decision until we’re ready to do that.”

That decision will come down to a number of factors, Napier said.

"You’ve gotta keep it simple from a football standpoint," Napier said. "You want to execute the plan. Move the team. Score points. Really, a quarterback is about so much more. Their ability to influence the team. There’s a leadership component, a knowledge component, a communication component. Ultimately, one of these guys is going to win over the staff and win over the team. "

Is Graham Mertz the answer?

Two areas of concern regarding Mertz -- arm strength and a propensity to hold on to the ball too long -- showed up during UF's low-scoring, 10-7 Orange and Blue game last April. Mertz was touch-sacked on his first offensive drive and it continued throughout the evening, as UF's defense racked up eight sacks in the contest.

But Mertz displayed some accuracy and hit receivers in stride on short and intermediate routes, completing 18 of 29 passes for 244 yards and a 10-yard touchdown pass to receiver Khaleil Jackson. Mertz drove UF inside the red zone for two more drives that came away empty due to a Trey Smack missed field goal and Caleb Douglas fumble.

"This is like acquiring a free agent that has played multiple years as a starter," Napier said. "He's learning our system, he's embraced our methods, our way of doing things. And I think you get almost a renewed lease on life ... he's been very professional in his approach. I've been very impressed."

Mertz was sacked 23 times at Wisconsin last season, and while he played behind a green offensive line, part of the job of a quarterback is to feel pressure in the pocket and avoid negative plays. Another is to make big plays downfield. A few deep routes Mertz tried in UF's spring game were under-thrown, including one to freshman speedster Aidan Mizell.

Richardson showed a big arm in his lone season as a starter at Florida, connecting on bombs of 75 and 51 yards to Justin Shorter for touchdowns against Eastern Washington and LSU. He didn't move the chains consistently, but still parlayed that arm strength into a big payday in the NFL Draft after being picked fourth overall by the Indianapolis Colts.

Jack Miller's last impression in the Las Vegas bowl

Miller went 13 of 22 for 180 yards in his first career start at the Las Vegas Bowl, a 30-3 loss to Oregon State. The Gators needed a 40-yard field goal from Adam Mihalek with 37 seconds left to avoid being shut out for the first time since 1988.

Playing behind a makeshift offensive line that was missing All-American O'Cyrus Torrence, who declared for the NFL Draft, Miller was sacked four times and pressured throughout the game. So, it wasn't exactly a fair assessment of what Miller could do with a full squad in a game in which an entire team is bought in.

In the spring game, Miller went 10 for 20 for 144 yards and a TD. Like Mertz, Miller doesn't possess the big arm of Richardson and his development was slowed when he broke his thumb in fall camp and missed more than half of the season.

Does it matter to the rest of the team?

Kingsley Eguakun, who on the field as UF's starting center is as close to the quarterback competition as anyone, said it wouldn't matter to him if the quarterback competition stretched deep into fall camp.

"Whether you are running with the twos, the ones or the fives you need to attack it like you are going to be the starter for game one," Eguakun said. "For me and my guys it doesn’t really change anything our job is to protect whoever is behind us and block for the running backs, get them through the hole. At the end of the day, I trust Coach Napier’s judgment and believe he’s going to put us in the best position to be successful.”

Added receiver Ricky Pearsall: "Day before the (Utah) game, it doesn't matter to me. We're going to be ready to roll."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida Gators quarterback competition between Graham Mertz, Jack Miller