Wisconsin football: 3 biggest offseason questions facing Badgers in 2021

1. Does Graham Mertz take advantage of his first full offseason as a starter?

The one thing Wisconsin has going for it that none of its division rivals do is that they might have something truly special at quarterback in Graham Mertz. This former four-star recruit out of Overland Park, Kansas projects as the best Wisconsin quarterback since Russell Wilson’s one year in Madison. With this being Mertz’s third year in the program, now is the time for him to take over.

In Wisconsin’s frustrating season from a year ago, there were moments where Mertz wowed us, especially during the season opener vs. Illinois. However, Mertz and much of the Wisconsin offense had to deal with internal COVID issues. This limited the Badgers’ overall success in 2020. However, Mertz did enough last year to get former starter Jack Coan to transfer to Notre Dame.

In two seasons with the Badgers, Mertz has completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 1,311 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions. Keep in mind that he has only played in nine games as a college athlete and two of those were in garbage time as a true freshman in 2019. If Mertz can take the next step in his progression as a passer, the Badgers can get back to Indianapolis.

What will be key for Mertz’s development is having a strong running game to lean on. This is why recruiting the trenches and the emergence of Jalen Berger as a bell-cow back is so important. Mertz may have a ton of talent, but he needs to improve as a quarterback playing off Wisconsin’s ground and pound offensive philosophy. By the end of 2021, he could be the best passer in the Big Ten.

Overall, Wisconsin’s biggest offseason questions are on the offensive side of the ball. We know the Badgers are answering the call to duty in recruitment, but we have to wonder if those wins will help them bolster a two-headed offensive attack with Berger at running back and Mertz under center. If Wisconsin’s 2021 offense does fire on all cylinders, this could be a special year for them.

What else does Wisconsin have to do to win the Big Ten West this upcoming college season?

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