Sam Merriman

Last updated

Sam Merriman
No. 51
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1961-05-05) May 5, 1961 (age 63)
Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:229 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school: Tucson (AZ) Amphitheater
College: Idaho
NFL draft: 1983  / Round:  7  / Pick: 177
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Sacks:2.0
Fumble recoveries:2
Player stats at PFR

Sam Merriman (born May 5, 1961) is a former American football player, a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons. Selected in the seventh round of the 1983 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks, he played college football for the University of Idaho in the Big Sky Conference.

Contents

Early life

Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Merriman graduated from its Amphitheater High School in 1979. [1] He played college football at Idaho in the Big Sky Conference, recruited by head coach Jerry Davitch, a former Arizona Wildcat lineman and high school head coach in Tucson. Merriman had planned on playing at Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, also in the Big Sky, but a coaching change there altered his future further northward. [1]

Merriman was a four-year all-conference starter for the Vandals, but went through a coaching change after a disappointing 3–8 season in 1981, his junior year. He came close to transferring to Hawaii, but decided to stay in Moscow under first-time head coach Dennis Erickson. [1]

In Merriman's senior season in 1982, the Vandals were 8–3 in the regular season and advanced to the second round of the twelve-team Division I-AA playoffs, falling to eventual national champion Eastern Kentucky by eight in a televised game (WTBS) that wasn't decided until the final minute. [2] [3]

Following his senior season, he played in the East–West Shrine Game at Stanford Stadium in mid-January. [4] [5]

Professional career

Merriman was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the 1983 NFL draft, the 177th overall pick. A reserve linebacker, he made his mark as a standout player on special teams for five seasons. [6] [7] As a rookie in 1983, the Seahawks beat Denver soundly in the wild card game and met favored Miami at the Orange Bowl in the divisional round. It was a close contest with several lead changes; the Seahawks regained the lead 24–20 with under two minutes remaining. On the ensuing kickoff, Merriman recovered a Dolphin fumble inside the Miami thirty that led to a Seattle field goal, the final score of the upset victory. [8] [9] [10]

Entering his sixth season in 1988, Merriman was a likely starter at weak inside linebacker, but suffered a career-ending knee injury in the second preseason game against Detroit at the Pontiac Silverdome; it occurred during a punt return in overtime. [11] [12] [13] Placed on injured reserve, he was released by the team eight months later in April 1989. [13]

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The 1982 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach Dennis Erickson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1983 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by second-year head coach Dennis Erickson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1981 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by fourth-year head coach Jerry Davitch, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1980 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals were led by third-year head coach Jerry Davitch and were members of the Big Sky Conference. They played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1985 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by fourth-year head coach Dennis Erickson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1987 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by second-year head coach Keith Gilbertson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1988 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1988 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by third-year head coach Keith Gilbertson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1989 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1989 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach John L. Smith, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1979 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals were led by second-year head coach Jerry Davitch and were members of the Big Sky Conference. They played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1974 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1974 NCAA Division I football season. The Vandals were led by first-year head coach Ed Troxel and were members of the Big Sky Conference, then in Division II. They played their home games at new Idaho Stadium, an unlit outdoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1993 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by fifth-year head coach John L. Smith, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1955 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1955 college football season. The Vandals were led by second-year head coach Skip Stahley and were members of the Pacific Coast Conference. Home games were played on campus at Neale Stadium in Moscow, with one home game in Boise at old Bronco Stadium at Boise Junior College.

The 1982–83 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1982–83 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The two-time defending champions of the Big Sky Conference, Vandals were led by fifth-year head coach Don Monson and played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1990 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1990 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals were led by second-year head coach John L. Smith, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1991 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1991 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals were led by third-year head coach John L. Smith, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The 1995 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach Chris Tormey, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho. Idaho finished the regular season at 6–4 and 4–3 in the Big Sky, their final season in the conference for more than two decades.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ramsdell, Paul (November 27, 1982). "Lucky Sam Merriman". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
  2. ↑ Ramsdell, Paul (December 5, 1982). "Controversial EKU interception ends Idaho hopes". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  3. ↑ Ramsdell, Paul (December 6, 1982). "An unsavory end to a successful season". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  4. ↑ "Sam Merriman picked to play in Shrine game". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). December 1, 1982. p. 1B.
  5. ↑ "Eason leads East to Shrine win". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. January 16, 1983. p. 8C.
  6. ↑ Weaver, Dan (July 18, 1984). "Low in the draft, high on the team". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 15.
  7. ↑ Jacobson, Bryan (December 20, 1986). "Like riding a bike". Idahonian. (Moscow). p. 25.
  8. ↑ Weaver, Dan (January 1, 1984). "Dolphins are 'Knoxed' cold". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C1.
  9. ↑ "Seahawks? step away from Super Bowl". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire services. January 1, 1984. p. 1F.
  10. ↑ "Seattle surprises Miami, 27-20". Sunday Star-News. (Wilmington, North Carolina). Associated Press. January 1, 1984. p. 1D.
  11. ↑ "Seahawks lose Merriman for year". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 13, 1988. p. B1.
  12. ↑ Pierce, Oliver (September 14, 1988). "Merriman isn't merry on sidelines". Idahonian. Moscow. p. 9A.
  13. 1 2 "Seahawks cut Merriman, two others". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 18, 1989. p. C3.
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