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Jacory Croskey-Merritt did not keep away from Arizona for lengthy.
Following a stellar season at New Mexico, the working again revealed plans to switch to Arizona in February. He dedicated to Ole Miss in April however had one other change of coronary heart.
On Wednesday, Croskey-Merritt formally rejoined the Wildcats. He informed the Tuscon Star’s Justin Spears that his “coronary heart led me” to Arizona earlier than, so he determined it was “the place I needs to be.”
“Simply being round nice individuals for my final yr, simply seeing what these guys have constructed within the final yr and I need to be part of it and simply hold including and constructing and profitable a championship for this system,” Croskey-Merritt mentioned. “I simply need to add to what they’re doing and make the workforce higher.”
The Alabama native mentioned enjoying nearer to house was his most important motivation for transferring to Ole Miss. He in any other case did not need to elaborate on what led to him leaving Arizona earlier this yr.
“There have been loads of complicated issues occurring,” Croskey-Merritt mentioned. “That is it. … It wasn’t actually transcripts (or teachers). I can not actually say what was occurring, however there have been lots of people speaking that I did not find out about. It was loads of stuff. I do not actually need to get into the small print, however individuals blow issues up that should not have been blown up. Lots of people and faculties had been speaking to one another.”
Following 4 seasons at Alabama State, Croskey-Merritt registered 1,262 yards and 18 touchdowns for New Mexico State final yr. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry and exceeded 200 dashing yards in every of his closing two video games with the Lobos.
Croskey-Merritt referred to as himself a “Swiss-army knife” within the mould of NFL stars Alvin Kamara and Jahmyr Gibbs He has lofty aspirations for his 2024 season at Arizona.
“My private purpose is to be the very best working again within the Large 12 and win loads of awards going out and provides myself a shot to get drafted,” he mentioned. “I need to flip loads of heads, not simply within the Large 12 however across the nation. Placing my title on the market, so individuals can acknowledge me.”