There’s a perception out there that Graham Mertz is to blame for Wisconsin’s struggles and not meeting the lofty expectations set for the Badgers by many in the media, including yours truly.

But it’s apparent that there is no “quick fix.” Even if Mertz magically started to play at a high level, which doesn’t seem likely, there are numerous obstacles standing in Wisconsin’s way right now, blocking it from being a good football team and contending in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin’s 38-17 loss to No. 14 Michigan was a stark reminder that Badgers fans shouldn’t expect a QB change to solve the team’s issues. And years later, when they look back at the 2021 season, they shouldn’t just blame Mertz for the failure to capitalize on having an elite defense and the Big Ten being wide open (thanks to Ohio State finally looking vulnerable).

This isn’t a poor offensive team; it’s a poor football team. There’s a difference.

As broadcaster Joel Klatt noted at one point during Saturday’s broadcast, Wisconsin just can’t seem to get out of its own way. And that’s why the Badgers are 1-3 for the first time since 1990, Barry Alvarez’s first season. At every turn, the Badgers put their defense in awful positions, whether it be by turnovers or a failure to pick up first downs. That is just so … un-Wisconsin, for lack of a better term. The Badgers have been so fundamentally sound, which is why they have 10 double-digit win seasons since 2005.

Wisconsin is starting to look more and more like Nebraska, with special teams issues week after week. Against Notre Dame, the Badgers allowed a kick return for a TD right after taking the lead in the fourth quarter. Against Michigan, the Badgers muffed 2 punts and put Michigan in prime position to score.

The offensive line play hasn’t been up to the lofty standard by the many great players who have played for the Badgers. There was one sequence in particular in which it was evident Wisconsin had no clue how to block Michigan. Jalen Berger was contacted almost as soon as he touched the ball on a second-down run and stopped for a loss, then Mertz was sacked on third down.

By the first few minutes of the second quarter, Wisconsin fans had had enough, raining down boos on their own team when Mertz took a delay of game on third-and-7 and then a sack on the next play. This fan base isn’t used to their team embarrassing itself like that.

It was a little jarring that Michigan clearly wasn’t intimidated by Camp Randall or Wisconsin’s No. 1-ranked run defense. The Wolverines went for it on fourth down on 3 occasions in the first quarter, picking up 2 of them. It’s like the last 2 meetings, in which Wisconsin outscored Michigan 89-25, never happened.

Speaking of those last 2 meetings, that’s how you know this isn’t all on Mertz. Wisconsin was so clearly the superior team in those games, and it’s not like it had great QB play in either of those games. The Badgers got a combined 255 passing yards from Jack Coan and Mertz in those 2 wins, with 2 TD passes. Wisconsin didn’t need either to play particularly well.

The funny thing is that Mertz actually looked OK on Saturday after a poor first quarter in which he was 0 for 4. By the time he got hurt on a big hit to his ribs from Daxton Hill, he was 8-of-15 for 115 yards and a TD, including several terrific throws to Chimere Dike late in the first half. But it was tough for him to get into a rhythm. On 18 drop backs, he was hurried 10 times, hit 9 times and sacked 3 times. He was under siege from that Michigan front.

It’s unknown whether Mertz will miss time, as backup Chase Wolf played most of the second half after Mertz went down. The problem is that Wolf has 4 INTs on 19 pass attempts over the last 2 seasons. He is certainly not an upgrade.

The bottom line is that this is a flawed Wisconsin team, even with a defense that plays its tail off. It’s not all Mertz’s fault.