No. 10 Wisconsin will aim to improve to 3-0 this season when they travel to face No. 23 Northwestern on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CST/ABC). Wisconsin freshman quarterback Graham Mertz has looked impressive this season.

Mertz has amassed 375 yards, 7 touchdowns and no interceptions this season, along with a QBR of 87.9.

During his press conference on Thursday, Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst explained what drives Mertz on the field.

“I think what drives him, obviously he wants to be as good as he can be, but I believe he wants to be as good as he can be for this team,” Chryst said via 247Sports. “That part is genuine. So, I think those are the things maybe you don’t see when just turning on the TV and watching him play. He’ll put the time in. And I think a big driving force for him is how can he best help this team right now.

“Another thing I’ve been impressed with is I like the way he continues to grow and learn and (is) open to learning. And he approaches the game with kind of an open mind, and he has good poise to him and sees things well. The biggest thing I think, what drives him, is he wants to all he can for this team.”

Those are all excellent attributes for your quarterback to possess. Mertz is not only talented but also has the proper mindset in order to be successful. Wisconsin appears to have a foundational quarterback to build around.

Wisconsin leads the all-time series 60-36-5 vs. Northwestern.