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Paul Chryst says putting Wisconsin loss on Graham Mertz would be ‘unfair’
By Nick Schultz
Published:
Graham Mertz had a game to forget on Saturday.
The Wisconsin quarterback completed 18 of his 41 passes for 240 yards, a touchdown and 4 interceptions — including 2 pick-sixes on the Badgers’ last 2 full drives. He also had a lost fumble, bringing his total to 5 turnovers under center.
His performance was a big reason why the 18th-ranked Badgers fell to No. 12 Notre Dame 41-13 at Soldier Field and were outscored 31-3 in the 4th quarter. But if you ask Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst, Mertz shouldn’t be the sole scapegoat for the lopsided loss.
Chryst: "To put it all on Graham, that would be wrong. I think there's a lot of areas we need to be better." #Badgers
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) September 25, 2021
He’s not entirely wrong. The special teams allowed a 104-yard Chris Tyree kickoff return immediately after taking a 13-10 lead which took all the wind out of Wisconsin’s sails. The defense also didn’t have much of an answer for Fighting Irish backup QB Drew Pynes, who went 6-for-8 passing for 81 yards and a touchdown after replacing an injured Jack Coan.
Still. Mertz’s performance was a huge reason why Wisconsin lost as badly as it did.
Nick Schultz is a columnist and breaking news writer for Saturday Tradition. A 2020 graduate of Loyola Chicago, he covered the Ramblers' 2018 Final Four run from beginning to end and has worked at NBC Sports Chicago. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickSchultz_7.