QB Matthew Merrick is a Horn

[jayakris]

QB Matthew Merrick (Irving Cistercian, 6-3, 185) committed to the Horns today, immediately on getting a greyshirt offer. That means he will count against 2016 and is allowed to take certain amount of classes in 2015-16. Sort of like a red-shirt.

He is a 3-star with offers from Colorado State and Nevada so far. Only started one year in HS (he focused on basketball before, I believe) and has over 2500 yards and has something like 35 TDs (15 INTs) this year. Those stats may be a week or two outdated. He is one of those late-bloomer types, and OU, TCU and Virginia had also started recruiting him recently. But he jumped at our grey-shirt.

Highlight Video -The Link
Actually he looks quite decent.

Apparently Shawn Watson was sufficiently impressed with him when he came to camp. If we don't fill up on offers, he might be given a schol for 2015 itself, but he doesn't seem to care. It is important to have such guys on the roster for QB depth. We only have Swoopes, Heard and new commit Gentry on the roster. It seems we are still recruiting 4-star Kai Locksley (MD) who is committed to FSU but this staff does not seem to put all eggs in one basket.

 

[jayakris]

By the way, ESPN's Gerry Hamilton had tweeted last month that Merrick was the top uncommitted quarterback in the nation last month when he had a 20 for 35 and eight TDs in a game. So, he is indeed a late bloomer this year that people have started noticing only a bit late.

 

[HornSwoggler]

I like these "unorthodox" moves.


From a bleacherreport.com article:

Grey-shirting:

While most people are familiar with the phrase "red-shirt" most people have no idea what a grey-shirt is. In fact, the NCAA does not even acknowledge the term. In a way, grey-shirting is like the U.S. Army's Delta Force—everyone knows it's their, but the governing body doesn't acknowledge it's existance.

Here is how grey-shirting works:

A player commits to a team that is over-signed.
That player either doesn't go to school in the fall, or enrolls part-time and pays their own way. They are not officially on the team.
In January of the following year, that player enrolls full-time and officially joins the team. They are technically part of the recruiting class for the following year.

Grey-shirting is a way for schools to skate around the recruiting rules. It allows schools to over-sign, regardless of how many prospects they signed the previous year.

Every player has a five year window to play four seasons. That window starts the second a player is enrolled in college full-time or are on scholarship. Since the player is not enrolled full time and is not on scholarship, their "NCAA clock" has not started.

Once they join a team, they still have the full five year window and the ability to red-shirt if they so choose.

While grey-shirting, players are not on the team.

They can not practice or condition with the team. They can not be given any advantage not extended to the normal student body. Grey-shirts are not allowed at team meetings or functions either. For all intents they are essentially, regular students.

 

[HornSwoggler]

and thanks, jaya, for keeping us informed.

 

[LonghornCatholic]

 

[UTExinPDX]

Welcome to UT, Matthew!

 

[dillohorn]

Welcome! With the recent history, the Horns need every QB they can get their hands on.

 

[I35]

I read somewhere that this is his first year to play QB. If so then putting up these kind of numbers is very impressive.

 

[jayakris]

Not exactly his first year. He did play the previous couple of years but what i see people saying is that he was a backup (I haven't checked into it closely). Apparently he was focusing on basketball more till this year, and he is a good basketball player too. Good athlete.

In fact he and Soso Jamabo (near 5-star national top-75 RB) were in the same AAU team for many years. He tweeted Soso today about doing a recruiting visit with him to UT soon. Soso has been warming up to Texas lately. If this guys helps with Soso also, that would be nice too.

 

[Jim Bob]

Welcome, Matthew. I like seeing our staff do things like this. It's a low risk move that might yield a big dividend. It also shows that they're beating the bushes to make this team better.

 

[ViperHorn]

9 - 10 hours as a first semester freshman at UT on purpose and not having to live in Jester isn't to shabby.

 

[majorwhiteapples]

It costs more for his parents to send him to Cistercian than it will be to go to Texas.