Liberty has picked up a commitment from Michael Merdinger, a transfer quarterback from North Carolina who has four years of eligibility remaining.
The Flames beat out James Madison and others for Merdinger.
Merdinger is a 6’3″, 200 pound quarterback who spent his true freshman season at North Carolina in 2024. He was 9 of 12 passing for 86 yards and an interception in his only appearance which came in the Fenway Bowl, a 27-14 loss for the Tar Heels to UConn.
Merdinger was North Carolina’s third string quarterback for most of the 2024 season under then head coach Mack Brown. He was an early enrollee at UNC last January. He chose the Tar Heels over several offers out of high school including Georgia Tech, Michigan State, Texas A&M, Minnesota, and others.
He is from Fort Lauderdale and Cardinal Gibbons where he was a three-star prospect and the 34th best quarterback in his recruiting class as he threw for 2,850 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior. Merdinger was born in Tel Aviv, Israel and moved to the US when he was 8. He is believed to be the first Israeli-born athlete to play in the FBS.
Merdinger is the second quarterback to commit to Liberty out of the portal, joining Coastal Carolina transfer Ethan Vasko. Those two will join a room that is looking for the heir apparent to Kaidon Salter who has transferred to Colorado. Ryan Burger and Jayden Bradford return to the Flames who also add true freshman Ethan Houck in what should be a spirited competition battle this spring.
