During their weekly segment together on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff, former Notre Dame Fighting Irish and ex-USC Trojans signal-callers Brady Quinn and Matt Leinart discussed Wisconsin Badgers redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz.

Receiving the starting nod after senior Jack Coan was forced to undergo foot surgery, the native Kansan was nearly flawless in the Badgers’ 45-7 rout of the Illinois Fighting Illini on Friday night in Madison, completing 20-of-21 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns.

Making a strong first impression with this showing, Leinart does not anticipate Mertz returning to the sideline, even when Coan is ready for action.

“It just looked different with him (Mertz) in this offense,” Leinart remarked, in part. “I think he’s going to keep that job.”

Graduating from Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kansas in 2019, Mertz was a four-star prospect, the No. 3 pro-style quarterback in the cycle, and the top player in the state, according to the 247Sports Composite.

He appeared in two games in 2019, preserving his redshirt, and completed nine-of-ten passes for 73 yards. Paired with Friday’s performance, he has now completed 29-of-31 passes (93.5 percent) in his collegiate career.

Mertz and No. 14 Wisconsin will look to keep rolling in their first road action next Saturday, October 31, Halloween, against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.