Florida Gators QB Graham Mertz won't Bend against Hurricanes

Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz is a six-year veteran, and he won't be flustered against the Miami Hurricanes.

Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz is a 6th-year veteran that won't be phased by what he sees from the Miami Hurricanes. / Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

With his sixth and final opening game, Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz knows what he sees.

Nervousness dissipated years ago, when he took the field at Wisconsin. Now, as a veteran passer, Mertz will simply walk onto the field and attack the opponent. The Miami Hurricanes stand in the way of Mertz starting his college swan song with a victory. Earlier this week, he provided his thoughts regarding Saturday's tilt at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

From Sunflowers to Sunshine

As a native Kansan, Mertz did not grow up around warm weather and the Florida/Miami rivalry, However, making the move from Madison to Gainesville, fully immersed him in the culture of the game's meaning. 

"They don't like each other? Florida and Miami don't like each other? I think the first week I got down here I saw a Miami fan and a Florida fan getting into it on Twitter. Really into it," laughed Mertz. "I think you play this game for these experiences. You play 'em for the big game, the big one at home, the big away one. I think back to any game I've played that's a big game, it all comes down to what team is going to execute.

"You can go in there with all the emotion, but that's not going to go out there and make you execute. If you go in there with the mindset that you're going to execute, that leads to emotion. Coach has talked a lot about, We go out and execute, that place is going to be rocking. If we don't execute, it's not going to be rocking. I think being able to simplify it in your mind. I got a job I got to go do. My team is depending on me to go do it. That will lead to all the emotion and excitement and the result we want."

Trouble Up Front

In Miami, Mertz sees a front seven, capable of wrecking Florida's gameplan including defensive lineman Rueben Bain. Yet, he appears unfazed and ready to take the challenge head on. 

"I played a lot of teams that have a lot of really talented front sevens, secondaries. For me I try to look at more the why behind what they're doing. I would dive into a lot of that. Say a team plays a lot of man, why do they play a lot of man? Why do they play zone? Learning the why being called on defense, not just the players."

Overview

As customary with the Hurricanes, their defense relies on speed and quickness, with the ability to cover ground. Graham Mertz and Florida, as a whole, fully recognize this and will make every adjustment. In order to nullify Miami's aggressive defense, Florida will make them pay vertically. As a result, that will stem the rush, allowing the Gators to operate smoothly.

Mertz's final opener could serve as Florida's first victory.