GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida quarterback Graham Mertz has a new role, albeit unofficially, for the remainder of the season: coach.
His college career ended six games into his sixth year when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during last Saturday’s 23-17 overtime loss at Tennessee, which was ranked eighth at the time but dropped three spots in this week’s AP Top 25. The 6-foot-3, 216-pounder from Overland Park, Kansas, is set to have surgery once swelling subsides, and he is committed to spending days and nights working even more closely with highly touted freshman DJ Lagway (6-3, 239).
Lagway and Mertz — who was at Wisconsin from 2019-22 before leaving the Big Ten’s Badgers for the Southeastern Conference’s Gators — were sharing snaps this season, so the younger quarterback isn’t being completely throw into a new situation.
“I’m here in any way, shape or form for DJ, for this quarterback room,” Mertz said Wednesday. “I told him, ‘Whatever you need. If it’s someone to talk to about life, if it’s someone to talk to about what I’m seeing on the field.’ I’m not going to overstep, but I’m going to do everything I can to help.”
Mertz expects to be part mentor, part motivator and part cheerleader when Lagway and the Gators (3-3, 1-2) host Kentucky (3-3, 1-3) on Saturday night.