John Merritt (American football) facts for kids
 |
|
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 26, 1926 Falmouth, Kentucky |
| Died | December 13, 1983 (aged 57) Nashville, Tennessee |
| Playing career | |
| 1947–1949 | Kentucky State |
| Position(s) | Guard |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1952–1962 | Jackson State |
| 1963–1983 | Tennessee A&I/State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 235–70–12 |
| Bowls | 5–2 |
| Tournaments | 1–2 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 8 black college national (1962, 1965–1966, 1970–1971, 1973, 1979, 1982) 5 MAA/Midwestern/Midwest (1957, 1963–1966) 2 SWAC (1961–1962) |
|
| Awards | |
| Amos Alonzo Stagg Award (1995) | |
| College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 1994 (profile) |
|
John Ayers Merritt (born January 26, 1926 – died December 13, 1983) was a very successful football coach. He led teams at Jackson State University and Tennessee State University. He was so good that he was honored in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
Contents
Early Life and Playing Days
John Merritt was born in Falmouth, Kentucky. He went to Kentucky State University and played football there. He was a guard on the team from 1947 to 1949. People called him "Big John" because of his strong playing. He finished college in 1950 and later earned a master's degree in 1952.
Coaching at Jackson State
Merritt started his coaching career at Jackson State University. He coached the Jackson State Tigers from 1953 to 1962. During his time there, his team won 63 games, lost 37, and tied 5. He led Jackson State to play in the Orange Blossom Classic two years in a row, in 1961 and 1962. After these successes, he was hired by Tennessee A&I.
Coaching at Tennessee State
In 1963, John Merritt became the coach for what was then Tennessee A&I. This school later changed its name to Tennessee State University in 1968. At Tennessee State, Coach Merritt had an amazing career.
- He led his teams to four seasons where they didn't lose any games.
- They won four Midwest Athletic Association titles.
- His teams won seven national championships for historically Black colleges and universities. These wins were in 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1979, and 1982.
- In 1982, he led Tennessee State to their first-ever win in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
Coach Merritt's record at Tennessee State was 172 wins, 33 losses, and 7 ties. This means his teams won 82.8% of their games, which is the best winning percentage in the school's history.
Developing Future NFL Stars
John Merritt was known for coaching many players who went on to play in the National Football League (NFL). Some of these famous players include:
- Ed "Too Tall" Jones
- Joe Gilliam
- Claude Humphrey
- Mike Hegman
- Richard Dent
Lasting Legacy
John Merritt's impact is still remembered today. A street in Nashville, Tennessee, is named in his honor: John Merritt Boulevard. Also, the Tennessee State football team usually starts their home season with a special game called the John Merritt Classic. This game is played at Nissan Stadium. It's often against Alabama A&M University, but other HBCU teams have also played in it, like Alabama State University in 2015.
See also
- List of college football coaches with 200 wins
