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Florida football starter Graham Mertz is out for the season with a torn ACL

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Florida football starter Graham Mertz is out for the season with a torn ACL

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Florida football quarterback Graham Mertz is finished for the year after an MRI revealed he tore an ACL in Saturday's overtime loss to Tennessee.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Mertz, a transfer from Wisconsin, returned to the Florida Gators for his final year of eligibility after passing for 2,903 yards with 20 touchdowns and three interceptions in 11 starts in 2023. Mertz missed one game with a concussion in 2024, but started five games passing for 791 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions.

Mertz posted a 7-9 record in two seasons at UF as a starter.

“I'm just grateful for everything he's done for our team,” Florida football coach Billy Napier said Monday. “Not just his performance on the field, but just his impact on the team as a whole, his leadership, his work ethic, his example, his self-discipline.”

Shortly after the injury was announced, Mertz posted a message thanking the UF fan base.

“As I recover, I will remain part of the program and do everything I can in meeting rooms and on the sidelines to help my teammates win,” Mertz wrote in the post. “I would like to thank everyone for their great support during this time.”

Florida will continue with five-star freshman DJ Lagway as its starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, which continues Saturday when UF (3-3, 1-2 SEC) hosts Kentucky (3-3, 1-3 SEC). . at The Swamp (7:45 p.m., SEC Network). Lagway, the 2023 Gatorade High School Player of the Year, appeared in all six games for UF with one start. He has passed for 765 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions this season.

“I would say there is some excitement about the DJ and what he has achieved so far,” Napier said. “And I think he'll be a lot better prepared, not only because he's not only started one game, but also because he's played every game this season. With this investment we will be a little further along and I think he will benefit from it.” first team representative this week.

“DJ has the innate ability to rise to the occasion and excel in big moments. I am confident he will do that in this situation. I also think it's a great opportunity for the team as a whole to raise their level, every position group, unit, that's what we need to do.”

Napier also doesn't expect a long-term problem for Florida starting running back Montrell Johnson Jr., who left the Tennessee game with a knee injury

Kevin Brockway is the Florida beat writer for The Gainesville Sun. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1

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