Graham Mertz finding ways to make an impact after ACL injury

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Graham Mertz walked into a meeting room inside the Heavener Football Training Center as he had done so many times before. Other than a black leg sleeve and a knee brace, you wouldn’t know from the senior quarterback’s demeanor that this press conference was any different than the dozens he’d done over the last two years.

But less than a week ago Mertz’s season and college career ended in the cruelest way it could, with a season-ending ACL tear. Mertz said he actually felt a pop two plays before the touchdown pass to Arlis Boardingham when the knee finally gave out and floored the 23-year-old.

But sitting in front of a room full of reporters, Mertz was in great spirits. He joked that he was going to try and suit up this Saturday when the Gators host Kentucky. He began, as he often does, expressing his admiration, appreciation, and sense of duty to the University of Florida and the coaching staff.

“I think the biggest thing these past couple of days have just been so thankful for the whole experience, so thankful for you guys, for everybody in this building, everything everybody’s done to help better me as a player and a person. I’m forever thankful for it,” Mertz said. “And I think that’s one thing that, when it’s all said and done, this is a place that someday I’ll be able to take my family to and come to games and a place that excites me. Like I said, forever thankful for it. So obviously didn’t want to go out that way. But that’s how the dice rolls.”

Mertz joked that the team has called him “Grahampa” and now, sidelined with his injury, he’ll take on more of a coaching role. Rather than treating his circumstance as a setback, Mertz is looking for ways that he can help the team. Being injured and not being able to play can be lonely. You’re spending more time in the training room and with trainers than your teammates. You’re out of sight and out of mind for the fans. It’s easy to retreat away from the team but that’s the opposite of how Mertz is treating his new set of circumstances.

“I think that my job right now is – obviously you got surgery coming up, and the initial getting back from that – but this week and up until that, my job is to be a coach, to be in the meeting rooms, to talk to guys, just be myself and continue what I was doing,” Mertz said. “Obviously it’s a little different, not being able to be out at practice. But I think my job right now is to help. I mean, I said it in my post, it’s my job to help this team win any way I can. For right now, it’s the meeting rooms. It’s talking through defensive structures, our game plan and prepping as if I’m playing. Because in doing that I can help out a lot of people and just kind of help them do their job a little bit better.”

Mertz is still waiting for the swelling to go down in his left knee so they can repair the ACL. That should be sometime next week. This week his full focus is on helping his successor, freshman DJ Lagway. He’ll continue to be around the team and help in any way that he can while also attacking his rehab. He has his sights set on the NFL.

“We’re going to have a pro day,” Mertz said on Wednesday.

That seems like a lofty goal, but if we’ve learned anything about Mertz during the last two years, you shouldn’t bet against him.