Ernest Merrell

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Ernest Merrell

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1875|10|5}}

| birth_place = Solon, Ohio, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1938|7|20|1875|10|5}}

| death_place = Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.

| alma_mater = Oberlin College

| coach_years1 = 1896

| coach_team1 = Miami (OH)

| overall_record = 3–1

| bowl_record =

| tournament_record =

| championships =

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}}

Ernest B. Merrell (October 5, 1875 – July 20, 1938) was an American college football coach in the late 19th century. He served as the head football coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for one season, in 1896, compiling a record of 3–1.

==Early life==

Merrell was born on October 5, 1875, in Solon, Ohio.{{Citation |title =Football Coach Killed|newspaper = The Coshocton Tribune | location = Coshocton, Ohio|pages =3|date = July 22, 1938|url = https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=10985013&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjExNzI2NzA2LCJpYXQiOjE1NzkxODgxODksImV4cCI6MTU3OTI3NDU4OX0.u8RIVjI6GAc8Eb8ZInMDXRu0gS0DCBXkJy5_cGyWwIQ }}{{Citation | year = 1938 | title= Death Of Ernest B. Merrell | journal = The Christian Leader | volume =120 | publisher = Universalist Publishing House | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=LanVAAAAMAAJ&q=ERNEST+B.+MERRELL+football+coach | access-date = January 16, 2020 }} His family moved to Chicago, and he attended Englewood High School, where he excelled at athletics. He moved back to Ohio to attend Oberlin College, where he played football.

Coaching career

In 1896, he became the second paid coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. In his only year as coach, Merrell posted a record of 3–1 with victories over Cincinnati, Dayton and Earlham College. Miami ended the season with a 16–4 loss to Butler, the first time the team lost with a paid coach.{{cite web | url= https://miamiredhawks.com/documents/2019/7/15/2019_Football_Media_Guide.pdf | title=Miami 2019 Football Media Guide | publisher= Miami University | access-date=January 13, 2020 }}

Later life

After college, Merrell moved to Cleveland and started a career in banking. In 1930, he became Vice-President of the Cleveland Trust Company. Even in later life, he continued to be involved in the sport of football by officiating games.{{Citation | editor-last = Camp | editor-first = Walter | year = 1915 | title = Saplding's Official Foot Ball Guide 1915 | publisher = American Sports Publishing Company | location = New York | page = 317 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=omLzAAAAMAAJ&q=Merrell+oberlin+football&pg=PA317 }} In 1938, Merrell died at the age of 61 in an automobile accident.