Matt Merritt - Football Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Matt Merritt

Title:
Running Backs
Email:
merritmd@jmu.edu
Phone:
540-568-6517

Matt Merritt was hired on Dec. 20, 2018, as an assistant coach with the James Madison University football program, working primarily with the running backs for the 2019 season.

In his first season, Merritt placed two running backs on the All-CAA Team, with one earning All-America honors. Percy Agyei-Obese was a Third Team HERO Sports All-American and First Team All-CAA selection after rushing for over 1,200 yards and leading the league in rushing touchdowns. Jawon Hamilton was also a Third Team All-CAA honoree.

JMU’s rushing attack ranked 10th nationally and first in the CAA (242.9). Primarily a three- or four-running back rotation, JMU’s backs combined for 3,224 rushing yards and 39 total touchdowns, 35 coming on the ground. Agyei-Obese turned in the seventh-best rushing performance in JMU single-season history with 1,216 yards, to go with 19 rushing scores, which was third in JMU single-season history. Hamilton also neared the 1,000-yard mark, finishing the season with 919 yards on the ground.

Merritt came to JMU after spending the 2017 and 2018 seasons on Cignetti’s staff at Elon where he also coached the running backs. In his two years with the Phoenix, the program saw drastic improvement in the run game, which included leading the CAA in the 2018 regular season and second overall, at just under 200 yards per game.

Led by CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year Jaylan Thomas and two-time All-CAA selection Malcolm Summers, the Phoenix backs combined to rush for more than 3,800 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns in Merritt’s two seasons guiding the group.

Elon ranked second in the CAA in rushing during the 2018 season at 199.5 yards per game. That was a 35 yards per game improvement from the 2017 season, in which the Phoenix rushed for 164.5 yards per game, which was almost 40 yards better than the year prior to Merritt’s hire.

Thomas was the league’s top offensive rookie threat in 2018, ranking second in the CAA at 95.1 rushing yards per game. He also scored four rushing touchdowns while leading the league with 6.6 yards per carry. He tallied 761 rushing yards in just eight games of action. Summers had been leading the league in rushing yards per game before an injury in the fifth game of the season, accruing nearly 600 rushing yards and three touchdowns in just five games. That included a 185-yard performance in Elon’s first win ever against JMU.

In 2017, Summers rushed for over 750 yards and four scores in only six games, leading the CAA and country in rushing yards before a season-ending injury midway through the campaign. Summers, along with De’Sean McNair and Brelynd Cyphers combined for almost 1,900 yards and 14 scores to help the Phoenix reach the FCS playoffs after finishing second in the CAA.

Prior to his arrival at Elon, Merritt spent one season as the running backs coach at Division II school Ohio Dominican. ODU rushed for 1,398 yards and 16 scores, as four backs ran for at least 260 yards in 2016.

Before Ohio Dominican, Merritt was an assistant running backs coach and offensive graduate assistant at Ohio State from 2013 to 2015. During Merritt's time at OSU, the Buckeyes won the 2015 national championship, the 2016 Fiesta Bowl and a Big Ten championship. They also made an appearance in the 2014 Orange Bowl.

While at OSU, he helped coach wide receivers, running backs, special teams and the defensive scout team. He played a role in the development of Ezekiel Elliott and Curtis Samuel while with the Buckeyes, in addition to coaching Carlos Hyde and Braxton Miller.

Before heading to Ohio State, Merritt spent two years as the running backs coach at St. Charles Preparatory (2011, 2012), where he also coached special teams. He also spent a year and a half as an assistant coach at Capital University, where he played running back and wide receiver.

As a collegian, Merritt had 542 rushing yards, aiding in Capital’s 2007 playoff berth. He tallied 1,099 career rushing yards and 12 touchdowns and helped Capital make a pair of Division III playoff appearances.

Merritt earned his bachelor's degree in education from Capital before picking up master's in sport management from Ohio State and coaching education from Ohio University.

He is married to the former Brittanie Duty and they reside in Harrisonburg.