Upcoming Event: Women's Soccer at No. 25 Rice on September 18, 2025 at 7 p.m. EST
7 p.m. EST
Women's Soccer
at No. 25 Rice
Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Q: You were wearing a beard before they were popular. Is there a special reason?
A: I have had a beard my whole life. At a young age I had a beard (8th grade) so I have just kept it. I recently let it grow out, within the last two years because people kept telling me to do it.
Q: You have worked your way up the depth chart and were slated to see a lot of action in the season opener. How excited are you to getting the season underway?
A: I’m very excited. I’m very excited to prove what I can do on the field. I’m glad I have a chance to showcase what I can do. I can’t wait.
Q: On the practice field, you have often been seen offering instruction to teammates about routes. You have had three different offensive coordinators while at FAU. How hard is it for you to learn the new system and do you enjoy helping teach your teammates?
A: It’s not really hard. They (offensive coordinators) keep the same style with the fast tempo so it is pretty easy transferring over. You just learn different terminology. I enjoy helping other players know what to do and to help put them in the right spots.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Fort Lauderdale, your hometown?
A: It keeps you hungry. You never get satisfied. The atmosphere fosters the feeling of always wanting more. You never have the feeling of I’m good with this. For example, I have a chance to see a lot of action in this weekend’s game, but I’m not satisfied with that. I want more. I want to be the guy. Boca Raton is pretty much the same thing. It is nicer and more laid back. You get to see a whole other side of life. It opens your eyes “I can have all of this.”
Q: What is your most memorable moment as an Owl?
A: It may sound weird but having surgery on my knee. It taught me to be more humble, and also I had to have help. I had no choice. I couldn’t put pressure on my leg. I had to sit back and look at my life and ask myself, ‘what can I do outside of football?’ I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t play. I couldn’t be around the team as much as I wanted. I had to focus in on what was important to me in life.
Q: Where is Jordan Merrell, the finance major, five years from now, 10 years from now?
A: Hopefully in the league (NFL). If not, doing something in business, maybe stocks. And in 10 years, I do want to coach. I don’t think I want to do it fulltime. I don’t know yet how I will work that out.
Q: If you were to play any other sport in college, what would it be?
A: I really like swimming.
Q: What is the first thing you wanted to do when the country’s shutdown due to COVID was over?
A: Get back on the field. We were stopped in the middle of the spring. I was frustrated because I wanted to show the new coaching staff a good look for the fall. I just wanted to get back on the field and play. Throughout the discussions on who was going to play and players opting out nationally, it wasn’t a question for me. I just wanted to play.
A: I have had a beard my whole life. At a young age I had a beard (8th grade) so I have just kept it. I recently let it grow out, within the last two years because people kept telling me to do it.
Q: You have worked your way up the depth chart and were slated to see a lot of action in the season opener. How excited are you to getting the season underway?
A: I’m very excited. I’m very excited to prove what I can do on the field. I’m glad I have a chance to showcase what I can do. I can’t wait.
Q: On the practice field, you have often been seen offering instruction to teammates about routes. You have had three different offensive coordinators while at FAU. How hard is it for you to learn the new system and do you enjoy helping teach your teammates?
A: It’s not really hard. They (offensive coordinators) keep the same style with the fast tempo so it is pretty easy transferring over. You just learn different terminology. I enjoy helping other players know what to do and to help put them in the right spots.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Fort Lauderdale, your hometown?
A: It keeps you hungry. You never get satisfied. The atmosphere fosters the feeling of always wanting more. You never have the feeling of I’m good with this. For example, I have a chance to see a lot of action in this weekend’s game, but I’m not satisfied with that. I want more. I want to be the guy. Boca Raton is pretty much the same thing. It is nicer and more laid back. You get to see a whole other side of life. It opens your eyes “I can have all of this.”
Q: What is your most memorable moment as an Owl?
A: It may sound weird but having surgery on my knee. It taught me to be more humble, and also I had to have help. I had no choice. I couldn’t put pressure on my leg. I had to sit back and look at my life and ask myself, ‘what can I do outside of football?’ I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t play. I couldn’t be around the team as much as I wanted. I had to focus in on what was important to me in life.
Q: Where is Jordan Merrell, the finance major, five years from now, 10 years from now?
A: Hopefully in the league (NFL). If not, doing something in business, maybe stocks. And in 10 years, I do want to coach. I don’t think I want to do it fulltime. I don’t know yet how I will work that out.
Q: If you were to play any other sport in college, what would it be?
A: I really like swimming.
Q: What is the first thing you wanted to do when the country’s shutdown due to COVID was over?
A: Get back on the field. We were stopped in the middle of the spring. I was frustrated because I wanted to show the new coaching staff a good look for the fall. I just wanted to get back on the field and play. Throughout the discussions on who was going to play and players opting out nationally, it wasn’t a question for me. I just wanted to play.