Matt Merkens

Matt Merkens is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Sam Houston State Bearkats football team.

Playing career
Merkens grew up in Marble Falls, Texas and attended Marble Falls High School. After high school, he enrolled at Sam Houston State University (SHSU) and joined the Bearkats football team as a walk-on. Merkens was a backup quarterback for the Bearkats for three seasons.

Coaching career
Merkens began his coaching career as a student coaching intern at Sam Houston State for his final two seasons at the school. After graduating in 2015, he was hired as a graduate assistant at Western Colorado. Merkens returned to Sam Houston State as an offensive assistant after one season and worked primarily with wide receivers before being promoted to an offensive quality control position in 2018. He was promoted to tight ends coach prior to the start of the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. During the 2022 season, Merkens was promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach following the demotion of coordinator John Perry. He was moved back to coaching tight ends after SHSU hired Brad Cornelsen as offensive coordinator.

Personal life
Merkens' father, Guido Merkens, played quarterback at Sam Houston State and in the National Football League.