Chris Merritt (American football)

Last updated

Chris Merritt
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Bryant
Conference CAA
Record26–37
Biographical details
Born (1969-12-07) December 7, 1969 (age 55) [1]
Playing career
1988–1992 [2] Indiana
1994–1995Gavle Red Devils Sweden
1996-1997 Hamburg Blue Devils
Position(s) Free safety
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1993 Eastern Illinois (assistant)
1996–1998 Hamburg Blue Devils (DC)
1999 Stuttgart Scorpions
2000 Thiel (DB)
2001–2018 Christopher Columbus HS (FL)
2019–present Bryant
Head coaching record
Overall26–37 (college)
52–11–1 (GFL)
165–49 [n 1] (high school)

Chris Merritt (born December 7, 1969) is an American football coach and former player. He was named to the position as the head football coach at Bryant University in December 2018. He came to Bryant after serving 18 years as head coach at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Florida, posting a record of 165–49 in 18 season there. He also served five years at Thiel College as the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator and two years at Eastern Illinois University as an assistant coach. He also played and was a coach in the German Football League with the Hamburg Blue Devils winning the German Bowl and Eurobowl championships.

Contents

Football career

Merritt played college football at Indiana University Bloomington where he was four year letter winner. He played professionally in Sweden Superserien in 1994 and 1995 seasons. He the played and was a coach in the German Football League where he guided the Hamburg Blue Devils, winning 3 Eurobowl titles in 1996, 1997 and 1998, a German Bowl in 1996 and three-straight Charity Bowl Championships. Merritt is the franchises all-time leaders in wins and winning percentage [3]

He then coached the Stuttgart Scorpions and Theil.

In 2001 he became the head coach of Christopher Columbus HS, during his tenure he led the school to two state finals appearances (2014, 2018), five Regional Championships, 14 District Championships and an 80-4 record in district competition in the largest high school classification in the state of Florida. In addition, Merritt's program has produced over 100 collegiate football players in 18 seasons. He also received a plethora of honors including being inducted into the Columbus High School Hall of Fame in 2018, named the Nike Coach of the Year in 2005, the Miami Herald Coach of the Year in 2014 and the Warren Henry South Coach of the Year in 2017. [4]

He was then hired as head coach of Bryant for the 2018 season, in 2021 he went 7-4 and was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award. during the 2025 season he led the program to their first ever win over a FBS program on September 6th 27-26 over UMass. [5]

Head coaching record

College

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Bryant Bulldogs (Northeast Conference)(2019–2022)
2019 Bryant 4–83–4T–5th
2020–21 Bryant 2–22–2T–3rd
2021 Bryant 7–45–22nd
2022 Bryant 4–72–3T–3rd
Bryant Bulldogs (Big South–OVC Football Association)(2023)
2023 Bryant 6–54–2T–3rd
Bryant Bulldogs (Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference)(2024–present)
2024 Bryant 2–100–8T–15th
2025 Bryant 1–10–0
Bryant:26–3716–21
Total:26–37

High school

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Christopher Columbus Explorers ()(2001–2018)
2001Christopher Columbus9–31st
2002Christopher Columbus4–6 [n 1] 3rd
2003Christopher Columbus7–4
2004Christopher Columbus7–34–01st
2005Christopher Columbus9–15–01st
2006Christopher Columbus7–44–12nd
2007Christopher Columbus11–15–01st
2008Christopher Columbus8–14–01st
2009Christopher Columbus9–25–01st
2010Christopher Columbus11–15–01st
2011Christopher Columbus11–23–01st
2012Christopher Columbus8–53–01st
2013Christopher Columbus7–54–12nd
2014Christopher Columbus14–26–01st
2015Christopher Columbus12–24–11st
2016Christopher Columbus7–44–12nd
2017Christopher Columbus10–24–01st
2018Christopher Columbus14–14–01st
Christopher Columbus:165–49 [n 1]
Total:165–49 [n 1]
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

References and notes

  1. ↑ "Chris Merritt". Twitter . Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Chris Merritt". Sports Reference. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Chris Merritt named next Bryant Football head coach". Bryant University. December 20, 2018. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Chris Merritt - Head Coach - Football Coaches". Bryant University. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Bryant football stuns UMass for first-ever win over FBS opponent. Here's how". The Providence Journal. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Columbus Explorers". The Miami Herald. August 27, 2003. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  1. 1 2 3 4 Christopher Columbus ended the 2002 season 7–3 but had to forfeit three wins due to an ineligible player. [6]


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