Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz Available To Play Against Michigan
Wisconsin Badgers redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz is cleared to play Saturday night at Michigan (7:30, ABC), as he's warming up on the field and appears to be poised to make his second career start.
Mertz was confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19 weeks ago and, due to the Big Ten's stringent protocols, wasn't able to return to team activities until late this week. In the Badgers' lone game this season at Illinois, Mertz completed 20-of-21 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns in his first career start.
Even up until Thursday morning, the status of Mertz was unknown, and Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst wasn't giving up any trade secrets.
“Each day you feel a little better when they [the quarterbacks] are able to do something,” Chryst told reporters Thursday. “You go back through the check list and the protocols and they are in line with that. We continue to be hopeful of it. Whoever is going to play, I feel good with it. I feel confident. Their experience level might be different, but I think that’s part of us to give them a plan where they can be successful with it.”
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Backup quarterback and redshirt sophomore Chase Wolf also tested positive, along with Mertz and 26 others in the program over the last several weeks. Earlier in the week, Badgers' offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph did not confirm which quarterbacks are practicing this week.
"The big question mark is going to be if we can get Graham to the point where he's practicing, will he have enough in that you feel confident with him? That's still in the air," Rudolph said. "I wish I could be more definitive for you guys. ... We've just got to keep working through the week and see where we're at, listen to our training staff."
If neither Mertz nor Wolf would've been able to go, it would have been redshirt sophomore Danny Vanden Boom, who has not played since the 2018 season when he completed his only pass in three appearances, behind center.
"He's been able to perform well even with the limited reps," Rudolph said. "That doesn't describe everyone. There's a lot of guys out there, they don't make improvements or they walk in and they don't show an understanding without the reps behind him. Danny does. He's sharp. He is confident with who he is. I just see someone who's gotten more reps and got the opportunity to show you that a little bit more often. They know he's smart, he communicates well, he exudes confidence in the huddle.
"If we were rolling with Danny, this group would be all behind him and feel good about it."
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