ST. LOUIS — John Burroughs senior wide receiver Caleb Merritt developed a passion for the sport of football at a young age thanks to his father, and now coach, John Merritt.
“You always hear the term student of the game, but he thinks the game and he thinks it all the time,” John Merritt said.
For Caleb Merritt, football is about far more than hitting an opponent or running a football into the end zone. It’s about looking at the field from a different perspective.
“Ever since I can remember living with him, like he would play Madden,” Caleb Merritt said. “And then just show me like, ‘Oh this is how you get a guy open in a cover two, soft shell.'”
On Friday, Caleb Merritt committed to play football at Wyoming.
It’s not just his physical talent that’s appealing to his new coaches. It’s his aptitude for the game. He started creating his own plays four years ago.
“He’s constantly coming over to me, wanting to change play designs, wanting to change personnel groups, wanting to put a new route on this, a new route on that,” John Merritt said.
Those requests finally paid off his sophomore year of high school.
“He saw something during the game, he came off onto the sideline, and he asked me to run it,” John Merritt said. “Boom, touchdown. I said to my assistant coaches, ‘Ya know, I probably should listen to him more.”
So, that’s what John Merritt started doing, and it changed games. Caleb Merritt said having a dad for a coach helps his plays come to life, but having one who believes in him is the real difference-maker.
“He has spent so much time, and put so much energy into learning his craft of football, that I’d be foolish not to listen to him,” John Merritt said.