UW’s offense ready to fire up generators
MADISON – Paul Chryst is again tutoring Wisconsin's quarterbacks and calling the offensive plays.
Quarterback Graham Mertz, who resembled an All-American in his first college start but subsequently looked more like a befuddled freshman after battling COVID and suffering a right shoulder injury, should be battle-tested.
UW appears to have more viable options at wide receiver and tailback than it did in 2020, when the offense suffered through its worst season in more than a decade.
Whether those factors will result in an offensive turnaround will be revealed when UW opens the season at 11 a.m. Saturday against visiting Penn State.
Asked during the week what he expected to see from the offense this season, Chryst didn't dance.
“There is no doubt that for us to be
the best team we can be, for us to be the best offense we can be, I think there has to be more consistency and production," he said.
“I do believe for this offense to be the best it can be, it's going to take a lot of different guys contributing. That can be exciting. It's going to take everyone.
“Not one guy is going to be able to … nor should he have to carry it.”
No one carried the offense in 2020. UW led the Big Ten in time of possession at 36 minutes 20 seconds per game but finished ninth in scoring at 25.1 points per game.
The latter mark was the program's worst since the 2004 season when UW averaged 20.8 points. Like last season with Mertz, the 2004 team had a firstyear starter at quarterback in John Stocco.
With no explosive player at tailback and with wide receivers Kendric Pryor and Danny Davis limited to a combined five games and 11 catches, the offense rarely generated chunk plays.
The offense was on the field for 495 plays but generated just six plays of 30 yards or longer, one every 82.5 plays.
By contrast, UW's 2019 offense was on the field for 963 plays and generated 24 plays of 30 yards or longer, one every 40.1 plays.
The return of Pryor and Davis should give Mertz more options at wide receiver and more chances to stretch defenses vertically.
A deeper tailback room, led by Clemson transfer Chez Mellusi, should bolster a running game that generated an average of 164.6 rushing yards per game last season. That marked just the second time in the last 14 seasons UW didn't average at least 200 rushing yards per game.
“I've talked about this a bunch,” Mertz said, “but last year obviously wasn't the best scenario for everybody. Everybody had their own problems.
“For me, looking back on it, I needed to just get through the season and step back and learn from it. Learn how I needed to approach the next season.”
Mertz was fabulous in his starting debut – 20 of 21 for 248 yards and five touchdowns – but his execution tailed off after he contracted COVID, suffered a shoulder injury at Michigan and lost Pryor and Davis. His completion rate over the final six games was 57.0% and he threw more interceptions (five) than touchdown passes (four).
“For me it was kind of a whirlwind year,” he said. “There wasn't time to catch your breath.
“After the season it was good to reflect on it and (decide): 'This is how I'm going to approach my weekly schedule. This is how I'm going to watch film and be effective watching it.'
“Looking back at it I was watching too much film or (sometimes) maybe not the right stuff. So for me, it was how can I work smarter and not harder?”
At the close of preseason camp it was clear UW has potential contributors at tailback, wide receiver and tight end and that Joe Rudolph's offensive line should be solid.
“I think we'll be able to run the ball a lot better,” senior left tackle Tyler Beach said. “I know that on the offensive line we've cleaned up a lot of technique stuff. Coach Rudy has been on us about the details and that is huge.”
Mertz, who should be a better quarterback if for no other reason than the experience gained in 2020, sounds like a player eager to prove he is better than he has shown.
“Truly just being a complete quarterback,” he said without hesitation when asked about his goals for this season. “Owning the run game. Owning the pass game. Making checks when they need to be made. Just playing smart.
“That is what I want to do. That is what I am going to do. Play smart and have fun.”