First, here's a look at Wisconsin's projected starters and contributors and their PFF grades on the season so far.
OFFENSE - STARTERS
LT Cole Van Lanen 90.5 (2nd best OL grade in the Big Ten with Linderbaum being 1st)
LG Jon Dietzen 76.8
C Cormac Sampson 67.8 (only 17 snaps on the season, filling in for injured starter Kayden Lyles)
RG Logan Bruss 71.1
RT Tyler Beach 72.5
TE Jake Ferguson 83.1
WR Kendric Pryor 66.4
WR Danny Davis 58.6
FB Mason Stokke 70.4
RB Jalen Berger 73.4
QB Graham Mertz 75.4
OFFENSE - CONTRIBUTORS
RB Nakia Watson 77.2
RB Garrett Groshek 61.8
WR Chimere Dike 67.3
WR Jack Dunn 57.3
TE Hayden Rucci 59.8
FB John Chenal 77.2
OG Josh Seitzner 69.1
WR Adam Krumholz 49.0
C Tanor Bortolini 42.4
DEFENSE - STARTERS
DE Isaiahh Loudermilk 73.7
NT Keeanu Benton 71.6
DE Garrett Rand 65.9
OLB Nick Herbig 65.2
ILB Jack Sanborn 82.3
ILB Leo Chenal 77.1
OLB Noah Burks 59.4
CB Faion Hicks 67.9
SS Scott Nelson 62.2
FS Eric Burrell 66.7
CB Caesar Williams 72.5
DEFENSE - CONTRIBUTORS
SS Collin Wilder 66.9
OLB CJ Goetz 72.6
CB Donte Burton 64.4
DE Isaiah Mullens 51.4
DEFENSIVE PRESSURES IN 4 GAMES PLAYED
ILB Jack Sanborn 12 pressures
ILB Leo Chenal 11 pressures, 1 sack
DE Isaiahh Loudermilk 7 pressures, 1 sack
OLB Noah Burks 7 pressures
OLB Nick Herbig 4 pressures, 1 sack
SS Scott Nelson 4 pressures, 1 sack
NT Keeanu Benton 3 pressures
OLB CJ Goetz 2 pressures, 1 sack
FS Eric Burrell 2 pressures
DE Isaiah Mullens 1 pressure
SS Collin Wilder 1 pressure
MISSED TACKLES
ILB Jack Sanborn 7
OLB Nick Herbig 6
SS Scott Nelson 3
ILB Leo Chenal 2
CB Faion Hicks 2
FS Eric Burrell 2
OLB Noah Burks 2
CB Ceasar Williams 2
OFFENSIVE PRESSURES ALLOWED
QB Graham Mertz 7 pressures, 2 sacks
RT Tyler Beach 2 pressures, 1 sack
RG Logan Bruss 2 pressures
LG Jon Dietzen 2 pressures
TE Jake Ferguson 1 pressure, 1 sack
RB Nakia Watson 1 pressure, 1 sack
RB Garrett Groshek 1 pressure, 1 sack
LT Cole Van Lanen 0 pressures
PASSING
Overall, Graham Mertz is 75/119 passing (63.0%) for 807 yards (6.8 ypa) with 8 touchdowns and 4 interceptions
When pressured, Mertz is 6/15 passing (40.0%) for 52 yards (3.5 ypa) with 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions
When not pressured, Mertz is 69/104 passing (66.3%) for 755 yards (7.3 ypa) with 8 touchdowns and 4 interceptions
When blitzed, Mertz is 25/40 passing (62.5%) for 279 yards (7.0 ypa) with 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions
When not blitzed, Mertz is 50/79 passing (63.3%) for 528 yards (6.7 ypa) with 3 touchdowns and 4 interceptions
Mertz is using play action on 26.1% of his drop backs this season. When using play action, his completion percentage is 71.4% versus 60.4% without play action and his yards per attempt goes up by 1.1.
On targets of 20+ yards downfield this season, Mertz is 5/12 passing (41.7%), which ranks 5th in the Big Ten.
PASSING CHART
OFFENSE - STARTERS
LT Cole Van Lanen 90.5 (2nd best OL grade in the Big Ten with Linderbaum being 1st)
LG Jon Dietzen 76.8
C Cormac Sampson 67.8 (only 17 snaps on the season, filling in for injured starter Kayden Lyles)
RG Logan Bruss 71.1
RT Tyler Beach 72.5
TE Jake Ferguson 83.1
WR Kendric Pryor 66.4
WR Danny Davis 58.6
FB Mason Stokke 70.4
RB Jalen Berger 73.4
QB Graham Mertz 75.4
OFFENSE - CONTRIBUTORS
RB Nakia Watson 77.2
RB Garrett Groshek 61.8
WR Chimere Dike 67.3
WR Jack Dunn 57.3
TE Hayden Rucci 59.8
FB John Chenal 77.2
OG Josh Seitzner 69.1
WR Adam Krumholz 49.0
C Tanor Bortolini 42.4
DEFENSE - STARTERS
DE Isaiahh Loudermilk 73.7
NT Keeanu Benton 71.6
DE Garrett Rand 65.9
OLB Nick Herbig 65.2
ILB Jack Sanborn 82.3
ILB Leo Chenal 77.1
OLB Noah Burks 59.4
CB Faion Hicks 67.9
SS Scott Nelson 62.2
FS Eric Burrell 66.7
CB Caesar Williams 72.5
DEFENSE - CONTRIBUTORS
SS Collin Wilder 66.9
OLB CJ Goetz 72.6
CB Donte Burton 64.4
DE Isaiah Mullens 51.4
DEFENSIVE PRESSURES IN 4 GAMES PLAYED
ILB Jack Sanborn 12 pressures
ILB Leo Chenal 11 pressures, 1 sack
DE Isaiahh Loudermilk 7 pressures, 1 sack
OLB Noah Burks 7 pressures
OLB Nick Herbig 4 pressures, 1 sack
SS Scott Nelson 4 pressures, 1 sack
NT Keeanu Benton 3 pressures
OLB CJ Goetz 2 pressures, 1 sack
FS Eric Burrell 2 pressures
DE Isaiah Mullens 1 pressure
SS Collin Wilder 1 pressure
MISSED TACKLES
ILB Jack Sanborn 7
OLB Nick Herbig 6
SS Scott Nelson 3
ILB Leo Chenal 2
CB Faion Hicks 2
FS Eric Burrell 2
OLB Noah Burks 2
CB Ceasar Williams 2
OFFENSIVE PRESSURES ALLOWED
QB Graham Mertz 7 pressures, 2 sacks
RT Tyler Beach 2 pressures, 1 sack
RG Logan Bruss 2 pressures
LG Jon Dietzen 2 pressures
TE Jake Ferguson 1 pressure, 1 sack
RB Nakia Watson 1 pressure, 1 sack
RB Garrett Groshek 1 pressure, 1 sack
LT Cole Van Lanen 0 pressures
PASSING
Overall, Graham Mertz is 75/119 passing (63.0%) for 807 yards (6.8 ypa) with 8 touchdowns and 4 interceptions
When pressured, Mertz is 6/15 passing (40.0%) for 52 yards (3.5 ypa) with 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions
When not pressured, Mertz is 69/104 passing (66.3%) for 755 yards (7.3 ypa) with 8 touchdowns and 4 interceptions
When blitzed, Mertz is 25/40 passing (62.5%) for 279 yards (7.0 ypa) with 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions
When not blitzed, Mertz is 50/79 passing (63.3%) for 528 yards (6.7 ypa) with 3 touchdowns and 4 interceptions
Mertz is using play action on 26.1% of his drop backs this season. When using play action, his completion percentage is 71.4% versus 60.4% without play action and his yards per attempt goes up by 1.1.
On targets of 20+ yards downfield this season, Mertz is 5/12 passing (41.7%), which ranks 5th in the Big Ten.
PASSING CHART
