Florida Football: Top five concerns for the Gators in 2023

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Florida Gators quarterback Jack Miller III (10) throws the ball during fall football practice at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 5, 2023. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun] /

Florida Football Concerns No. 4: Backup QB

We highlighted this concern last season, and thankfully, Florida never had to find out in a game that mattered what their backup QB situation truly was.

Heading into this season, Graham Mertz is the established starter for better or for worse. We, along with every other site that writes about the Gators, have written plenty of words regarding our concerns and our optimism surrounding Mertz.

The concern isn’t even so much around Mertz himself, though, as it is reasonable to expect a mid-tier QB. The concern is what happens if he gets hurt or is in fact, the worst QB in the SEC, as some have projected.

Because behind Mertz are Jack Miller and Max Brown. Miller has appeared three times on TV in a Gators uniform, and they have all been bad. His two Spring Game appearances, sandwiched around his Las Vegas Bowl start, engrain zero confidence among Gator fans if he is forced into action.

Brown has gained a little traction this Fall Camp and has made some pretty-looking throws. But he has yet to surpass Miller as the backup and, at last week’s scrimmage, was running the 3rd team offense.

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