Multiple reports say Miami will hire Matt Merritt as its new running backs coach.
Merritt was previously the Associate Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator/Running Backs Coach at USF is considered one of the best candidates for the job. He previously coached at Georgia Southern, Tennessee, James Madison and Ohio State.
In his first season, he helped USF produce 12 team and 16 individual records as the Bulls capped the biggest turnaround in program history (a six-win improvement) with a 45-0 rout of Syracuse in the Boca Raton Bowl. USF ran for 182.8 ypg (2,377 yards) to rank third in the AAC and posted 5,871 total yards (451.6 ypg), the third-best mark in program history. USF ranked No. 17 nationally in total offense and produced 415 points, the fifth-best mark in program history.
As a player, Merritt tallied 1,099 career rushing yards and 12 touchdowns at Capital University (2006-09), making a pair of Division III playoff appearances.
Notable accomplishments:
• Georgia Southern offense ranked No. 19 in FBS in total offense (468.6 ypg) and No. 30 in points (33.67 ppg)
• Senior analyst for 2021 Tennessee offense that broke eight school records.
• A part of coaching staffs that have played for (JMU, 2019) and won (Ohio State, 2015) a national championship.
• JMU running back Percy Agyei-Obese earned All-America honors in 2019.
• JMU’s rushing attack ranked 10th nationally and first in the CAA (242.9) in 2019, JMU’s backs combined for 3,224 rushing yards and 39 total touchdowns.
• Elon led the CAA in the 2018 regular season at just under 200 yards rushing per game.
Courtesy of USF Athletics
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