Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz Reveals What He's Focused On After Disappointing Seasons

Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz is focused on being consistent.

The former highly-touted recruit was viewed as the QB capable of elevating Wisconsin's program and taking the Badgers to the next level.

After two years as Wisconsin's starter, Mertz has shown some impressive flashes, but overall, he hasn't come close to meeting the lofty expectations fans have for him.

Now, he just wants to focus on being consistent.

"My word’s been ‘consistency’ the whole year," Mertz explained ahead of camp starting Wednesday.

When talking about dealing with bumps in the road and adversity, the junior passer further added, "That’s how you learn from the process and grow as a man. When adversity hits, how do I respond? When good things happen, how do I respond? You go through all of that and you learn a lot about yourself."

Can Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz live up to the hype in 2022? (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

As I've said multiple times, Mertz might not be the best player in the B1G, but he might be the most important.

I'm not sure there's a single player who can swing a season more than Mertz can for the Badgers. If the embattled starter plays up to his potential, an 11-1 regular season is 100% in play.

Graham Mertz faces lofty expectations in 2022. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

If he plays like we've seen him play for large chunks of 2020 and 2021, the ceiling might not be any higher than 9-3. If the latter happens, fans will turn on Mertz even more than many already have.

Trust me, nobody wants to see that happen.

Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz faces huge expectations going into the 2022 season. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Camp gets underway Wednesday and it shouldn't take long to get a read on where Mertz is at. As a diehard Wisconsin fan, I truly hope he's taken the next step.

The state of Wisconsin can't handle another disappointing season because of poor QB play.