Herd hero Merrick still getting his kicks
HUNTINGTON — “It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years,” Willy Merrick said.
The hero in Huntington on Dec. 19, 1992 was remembering the only field goal that he would kick during his college football — and soccer— career.
However it was his lone three-point kick (along with four extra points in the game with Youngstown State) that gave Marshall’s Thundering Herd its first of two NCAA Division I-AA national championships between 1992 and ’96.
The kick gave Herd fans memories that make the 20 years seem like only yesterday. Marshall beat Coach Jim Tressel’s Penguins, 31-28, a win that will be remembered this weekend when the 1992 team has its 20th anniversary reunion, topped off with the Marshall-UCF game Saturday night at Edwards Stadium.
Merrick is now 43 years old, married and a father of three, and he is soccer coach at Division II Ohio Dominion, just south of Columbus in his hometown of Worthington, Ohio.
It is rare that more than several days pass that someone doesn’t bring up “The Kick.”
“I get reminded about every week by Todd Goebbel,” Merrick said of the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Ohio Dominican, where brother Mike Goebbel coaches tight ends.
“Todd was an assistant coach for Mark Snyder at Marshall, and his brother Aaron is the ticket manager for the Herd,” Merrick said. “He’ll stop by my office at least once a week and say, ‘Good Morning, Greatness.’”
It was an unusual circumstance that placed Merrick into the “Greatness” category at Marshall.
His younger brother, David, was the Herd’s place-kicker during the 1992 season, after Willy was returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for football and soccer in 1991.
Willy had kicked for football during the 1990 season, including one weekend where he scored a goal against Furman in a 2-1 soccer win, then kicked off for football in a 10-7 win over the hated Purple Paladins.
Back to 1992, David missed a practice on Thursday morning due to sleeping and he was suspended from the team for the championship game on Saturday by Marshall Coach Jim Donnan.
“Coach Donnan came to me after practice and said, ‘Go find your #$@%! brother!’” Merrick said. “Donnan brought us both into his office. He did most of the talking.
“He asked David how he could do this. Then he looked at me and said, ‘Willy, you’ll be doing the kicking this Saturday.’”
After leaving Donnan’s office, the impact of what happened hit Merrick, who had tried only one extra point the whole season … in his whole career for that matter, coming late in the opening
game, a 49-7 win over Morehead State.
“I knew when I left what had happened,” he said. “I couldn’t sleep. I tried to put myself into every scenario.”
Later that evening, Donnan called a team meeting. Merrick recalled Donnan telling him that everything would be fine during the championship game against Youngstown.
“He told me that we were better than Youngstown,” Merrick said. “All I would have to do is worry about kicking extra points.
“He hadn’t counted on a second half injury to (star linebacker) William King, bringing Youngstown State roaring back to tie the game 28-28 with just over two minutes left, and that would set up a game winning field goal.”
Marshall led the Penguins 14-0 at the half, and 28-0 with 5:46 on the clock in the third quarter before both King and starting cornerback George Thomas were injured and out of the game —although King checked himself out of a hospital to return to the sidelines in the fourth quarter.Marshall quarterback Michael Payton led the Herd on a 14-play, 76-yard drive. Payton hit 7-of-9 passes in that drive, four of which went to Troy Brown for 36 yards, including the next-to-last play that put the ball down to the 12-yard line with 10 seconds left.
Center Pete Woods made the snap back to receiver Andy Bowen, who set it up perfectly and Merrick hit the game winning goal for Marshall.
Jim Nantz was in the broadcast booth for CBS Sports, and his playby- play commentary best summed up what millions had witnessed. “Willy Merrick — give him a varsity letter — and give him
championship ring!”
After making the kick, Merrick celebrated in the style of his true sports passion, soccer, much to the surprise of the Herd’s sidelines at Marshall University Stadium (today’s Joan C. Edwards Stadium).
“I was used to a soccer celebration after scoring a goal,” Merrick
said.
He went running with his arms outstretched, and jumped into the arms of an alarmed assistant Marshall coach, Tim Billings.
“I ran to the sidelines to celebrate. I can’t remember another kicker that has ever done that. They usually just stand there and thank the holder,” Merrick said with a laugh.
Ironically, Merrick would meet the head coach of Youngstown State three years ago, at a fundraiser for the Ohio Dominion football program.
“Our coach, Bill Donley, was friends with Jim Tressel, and Coach Tressel was invited to be the speaker for the Black and Gold banquet,” Merrick said. “Donley couldn’t wait to introduce me to Coach Tressel by the time he had told the then-Ohio State coach to say hello to Willy, Tressel stopped him before he could say my last name.
“Tressel interrupted him and looked me in the eye and said, ‘That was the ugliest #$@%! field goa’l he has ever seen.”
These days, Merrick’s wife, Joyce, will periodically visit YouTube and show friends her husband’s famous kick.
Her husband is also currently immersed in an impressive career as a soccer head coach.
After competing seven years as a professional, he has coached in both high school and college.
In 2001, he led Thomas Worthington High to an Ohio state soccer championship. In 2002, he would coach the state runner-up club with a team was ranked in the top 25 boys soccer poll nationally.
As a college head coach, he was named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2010 after beating the No. 4-ranked team in the nation, the University of
Charleston, 2-1, in overtime.
In addition to his college career, Merrick is involved in an instructional capacity with the MLS Columbus Crew.
He continues to follow Marshall sports and has retained his friendship with Herd men’s soccer Coach Bob Gray.
“My goal is to become a Division I head coach,” Merrick said. “I enjoy coaching college soccer. It’s a year-round profession. I like practice and I just like being around the team.”His brother, David, is doing well too.
“David is coaching the girl’s side of the Columbus Crew,” Willy said. “He is teaching seventh and eighth grade science and math … he’s still as independent as he ever was.”
When the Marshall 1992 team reunites for its 20-year reunion, the memories will come flowing forth.
Willy will remember spending time at the Cajun Kitchen eating his friend’s famous seafood baked potato, made by Darren. Or, he might recall the times he would be with other Marshall athletes at Caz’s Tavern on the Green.
Marshall fans will be able to recall the young soccer player/placekicker from Ohio wearing a No. 17 jersey. His picture has become a fixture on walls throughout the Herd Community.
The 1992 championship and talking a walk down the Herd football trail of the 1990s is truly what sports should be all about … great memories.
Thanks to all that made them for us, and thanks especially to Willy Merrick.
