MIKE SCHAEFER
Dawson Merritt was worried the last second request would be a problem, but there was never a doubt the Nebraska Cornhusker staff could accommodate a last second official visit switch.
The 247Sports four-star linebacker reached out to the Huskers on Wednesday about an official visit switch as the defender wanted to change his visit weekend from June to the Red-White game.
Merritt had wanted the spring game weekend all along, but there was one problem, his dad, Dave Merritt, works as a defensive backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL Draft started on Thursday night.
However per Merritt when Chiefs coach
Andy Reid found out he encouraged his assistant to leave and for the family to go take the visit.
Nebraska pulled it all together, arranging transportation so every family member could be in attendance for the official visit. The result was a perfect visit for the defender.
"I had a great time," he said. "Everything we did there — I loved it.
"We moved this visit up and it was kind of crazy. This is how great the Nebraska staff is, we literally asked them on Wednesday and they arranged all the flights. My mom and I drove here. They got my dad in a car here. They flew my brother in. It was all awesome."
Once back on campus everything fell into place for Merritt and his family as they enjoyed more time around a coaching staff that has plenty of old connections like with head coach
Matt Rhule and has built several strong new ones with defensive coordinator
Tony White and linebackers coach
Rob Dvoracek.
"I do have a great relationship, honestly I do," he said. "My dad has known coach Rhule — he coached a year at the Giants and my dad was with the Giants for 14 years so they were there together a little bit. That's how I had that connection to Nebraska. Ever since then I've had a great relationship with everybody on that staff. Coach Rob. Coach White. A whole bunch of recruiting guys. I've really built a solid — I'd almost call it a family, man."
Saturday's Red-White game gave the four-star linebacker two entirely different reasons to be excited about the opportunity in Lincoln. The fan base, which Merritt already knew was impressive, but also all the freshmen and sophomores on the field showed there's playing time to be found in Lincoln.
"The biggest thing that stood out to me is the amount of freshmen that play," he said. "Coach Rhule really isn't scared to play a young guy. Obviously
Dylan Raiola and Jacory Barney, but they just have a lot of young guys playing. Really the takeaway is that I could play at Nebraska from day one. I really believe that."
Part of that belief is what Merritt has heard from Nebraska's defensive coordinator.
"Coach White is my guy," he said. "That's my guy. He's really a players coach. He adjusts to his players and his system has worked. They were Top 3 in the Big Ten last year in defense. I'd love to play in that system for sure."
Now the fans.
Merritt knows fan bases that show up early and get loud. That being said the linebacker was impressed by how the Nebraska faithful showed up for a scrimmage, got loud, stayed until the end and then several came and found him to take photos and wished him success in his career.
"Honestly it's one of the greatest fan bases in college football," he said. "I had people asking me for photos and stuff. I've never had that anywhere else. The Nebraska fan base blows up my Twitter more than any other fan base. It's different. Just different than other schools. The Husker fans are really crazy."
Merritt made an official visit to
Alabama last week and now has visited both of his top schools.
Oklahoma is also in the mix but might be pulling third at the moment.
"For me I really do believe it is going to come down to Alabama or Nebraska for me," Merritt said.