GAINESVILLE, Fla. – As we approach Week 10 of the College Football Season, Graham Mertz has been a staple of the Florida Gators success on the gridiron. The transfer from the University of Wisconsin has posted career numbers in his redshirt junior season and his first season with the Florida Gators.
Mertz is being acknowledged for his performance on the field by promoted from the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award’s Midseason Watch List to the Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2023.
This list includes approximately thirty-five players that will remain in the running for the Davey O’Brien Award.
The Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2023 serves as the quarterfinal round of the award as the semifinalists for the award will be announced on Tuesday, November 14.
GRAHAM MERTZ’S RESUME
The Overland Park, Kansas native has led the Gators to a 5-3 start to the season behind effective and efficient quarterback play.
Mertz has totaled 195 completions on 257 attempts, good for a completion percentage of 75.9%. That percentage leads the SEC and is third in the FBS. Mertz opened the campaign with six-consecutive performances with a completion percentage above 70.0% (first Gator to ever do so) and has accomplished the feat in seven of eight games this season.
Said completions have led to 2,127 yards, just nine yards short of his career high for a season. Mertz is one of eleven Florida Gator quarterbacks to throw for 400-yards in a single game which he accomplished in a road contest against South Carolina on October 14.
Mertz has also tossed 14 touchdowns on the season. He has thrown a touchdown pass in 23 of his last 26 games including all eight starts as a Gator and has thrown multiple touchdown passes in four-straight games (Kentucky, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Georgia).
In addition to his impressive passing numbers, Mertz has been able to limit mistakes when slinging the rock as he has only thrown two interceptions thus far.
Over the course of the season, Mertz has set single game career highs in pass attempts (48 at South Carolina), pass completions (31 at Utah) and passing yards (423 at South Carolina).
Mertz’s most impressive performance of the 2023 season came in a road contest against South Carolina where he finished the game with 30 completions for 423 yards and three touchdowns, including leading two late 75-yard touchdown drives in the 4th quarter and the game winning drive with 2:43 remaining. Mertz was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week for this performance.
“I owe this university everything I got, and I try to hold that every day. I tell the coaches every single day that I’m blessed to be here and I’m thankful for it. I think I said it the day after they announced me starter that it’s a blessing and it’s a privilege to be here,” Mertz said. “That’s what wakes me up every day. That’s why I’m excited. I enjoy doing what I’m doing. I love this sport. I love this team. I love this university. It’s been an absolute pleasure, and I’m definitely doing what I love to do with the people I love to do it with. So it’s a blessing.”
The Gators continue their season on Saturday, November 4 against the Arkansas Razorbacks at home inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.