Florida football: Billy Napier picks his QB1, now holds his breath

Florida football head coach Billy Napier made the final decision on his starting quarterback.

Speculation no more. Florida football head coach Billy Napier has finally announced his starting quarterback, three weeks before the season is set to begin. And the award goes to…

After much thought, coach Billy Napier has announced that Graham Mertz will start against Utah on Aug. 31, in the season opener, per On3’s Nick de la Torre. Mertz transferred in to Gainesville after starting his college football career at Wisconsin.

Now he’s the QB1 for the Gators.

Florida football: Graham Mertz

Mertz won the position over Jack Miller III, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Ohio State, Micah Leon, a graduate transfer, freshman Parker Leise, and redshirt freshman, Max Brown.

The four-year Wisconsin product is set to fill heavy shoes in the recently departed Anthony Richardson, the Gators 2022 quarterback and top-five pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

In his four years as a Badger, Mertz threw for 5,405 yards, 38 touchdowns and a 59.5 percent completion rate. Mertz will be coming in with heavy experience including wins against Iowa, Purdue, and Wake Forest to name a few. He will also enter on the heels of his best individual season, with 2,136 yards and 19 touchdowns.

He will be tasked with restructuring a Florida team in a dominant SEC Eeast that finished with just a 6-7 record last season.

It will not be an easy task, beginning with a Utah team that’s not only a touchdown favorite, but also seeking revenge on the Gators, after losing last season’s opener on a game-ending interception in the red zone.

Then again, the good news is that the Gators now know who will be under the helm, so no need to worry about that anymore.

Napier has made his decision, and, in time we will see if it pays off. For now, Gators fans can only wait and pray this works out in anticipation of the season opener.