Can Florida football take advantage of experience at QB in matchup with No. 19 Miami

Transfer quarterbacks are more the norm than the exception in college football since the floodgates opened this decade with the advent of NIL and the transfer portal.

Florida football 's season opener against No. 19 Miami will feature two transfer signal callers, with one subtle difference.

Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz is entering his second year as a starter, after a change of scenery from Wisconsin revived his college football career. Mertz passed for 2,903 yards with 20 TDs to 3 interceptions in 11 starts at UF in 2023 while leading the SEC in completion percentage (72.9%).

The 6-foot-3, 216-pound Mertz is entering Year 2 at UF more comfortable and confident with the playbook, and with head coach Billy Napier calling the plays.

"To be able to have that in our toolbox from last year, knowing how to react to things during games, prep for that, I think that's going to be big," Mertz said.

Napier said Mertz wrapped up fall camp with a strong week of practices.

"He was really sharp Friday, Saturday, all throughout practice," Napier said. "You can sense, he came back for a reason. He's excited about this opportunity."

Two recent Heisman Trophy winners from LSU — Joe Burrow (2019) and Jayden Daniels (2023) — made significant leaps in their second year as transfer quarterbacks in the SEC. No one is considering Mertz a Heisman contender at this point but, given Mertz's work ethic and football IQ, a more productive season in 2024 isn't out of the question. Mertz said UF's offense has become instinctive for him.

"Really any quarterback I ever talk to, if I'm back home in Kansas City, know why the coach is calling it, not just the play," Mertz said. "That's where I've grown. Now I know what to expect, I know what checks are coming based on the weaknesses of the play, how to attack the weakness of the defense every play."

What Cam Ward brings to Miami football offense

Mertz came out of Overland Park, Kan., as one of the top quarterback recruits in the 2019 class. Miami quarterback Cam Ward, meanwhile, took a different path to power conference success. Coming out of Columbia High School in West Columbia, Texas, Ward played in a Wing-T offense that only threw an average of 12 passes per game. His only scholarship offer came from Incarnate Word, an FCS school in San Antonio.

But after passing for 4,648 yards and 47 TDs with 10 interceptions as a sophomore at Incarnate Word in 2021, Ward moved to the Pac 12 at Washington State. It didn't faze him. In two seasons as a starter at WSU, Ward passed for nearly 7,000 yards (6,966) with 48 TDs to 13 interceptions. As a dual threat QB, the 6-2, 223-pound Ward also rushed for 13 TDs in two seasons.

Given that production, Ward has already been ordained the preseason ACC player of the year despite having yet to throw a pass in the conference.

"He's obviously been very productive," Napier said. "You look at the yards, the touchdowns, the completion percentage, multiple stops. I do think that his ability to extend the play is a part of the game, will be a key factor in the game. But he's got arm talent."

The big question is how Ward will respond to playing in a sellout crowd at The Swamp, where 90,000 fans will jeer his every throw. Ward went 4-6 in as a starter in road games at Washington State. The largest visiting crowd Ward faced was 71,132 last season at rival Washington, a game in which Washington edged WSU 24-21. Ward passed for 317 yards with 3 TDs and 2 interceptions.

Can Graham Mertz and Florida football offense generate more big plays?

For as well as Florida moved the chains under Mertz last season, an area that lacked in the passing offense in 2023 was explosive plays. Florida completed just 14 pass plays of 30 or more yards last season, which ranked 13th in the SEC, ahead of only Mississippi State (13).

It's been an offseason emphasis for Mertz and the UF offense. Mertz said part of it comes from setting up the defense in order to generate the big play.

"That's one thing the guys are excited for," Mertz said. "We want to be explosive. We weren't as explosive as we wanted last year. I like the deep ball, too."

Mertz needs time in the pocket to generate throws downfield as well. Miami will come at UF on Saturday with a deep and talented front seven, led by freshman All-American edge rusher Rueben Bain. Mertz, who was sacked 33 times in 11 games last season, admitted there were times he held onto the ball too long. But Florida moved Dameion George Jr. from tackle to guard to address pass protection, and Napier said Florida is deeper at the tackle position with the addition of transfers Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson (San Diego State) and Devon Manuel (Arkansas).

"Up front, I love the guys we got up there," Mertz said. "They've done a great job this off-season. Really changed their bodies with (strength coach Tyler) coach Miles in that weight room. You see it translate to the field."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Can Florida football take advantage of experience at QB in matchup with No. 19 Miami