The Florida football program is hoping for a return to championship form this season under Head Coach Billy Napier. The plan for Napier is to focus on fundamentals and toughness after finishing 6-7 last season.

It could be an uphill climb based on trends and recent news. Florida football lost a key EDGE rusher this past week to a torn ACL. Another player, a five-star recruit, left the team after his mother's cancer diagnosis.

Now Napier and the Gators are hoping to move forward after an intriguing announcement that caught the attention of fans in both SEC and Big Ten country. The Gators officially announced former Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz as the starter, reports stated Friday.

Mertz is a former four-star prospect who arrived in Madison with big expectations. The Overland Park, Illinois native struggled with interceptions and completion percentage his last two seasons in Madison after a promising freshman season that saw him show potential as a dual-threat quarterback.

Mertz had a 19-13 record as Wisconsin's starter, throwing for 5,405 yards, a 59.5% completion rate, 38 passing touchdowns and 26 interceptions during his time with the team.

Gators starting quarterback Anthony Richardson passed for 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season before heading to the NFL as a first round pick of the Indianapolis Colts. The Gators were balanced on offense with over 200 yards both rushing and passing in 2022, but still finished below .500 on the season.

For Napier's team to finish with a winning record, Mertz will need to recapture the magic that made him one of the Big Ten's most promising players prior to the last two seasons.

The future is bright for Napier's Gators based on recent five-star recruiting success, but the team has a long way to go to reach its championship pinnacle not seen since Florida football last won the SEC title in 2008.