SMU expected to hire Arkansas’ coach to bolster defensive line

The SMU Mustangs are set to hire Arkansas’ Demerick Gary as an assistant defensive line coach. According to Matt Zenitz, the former Mustangs standout will return to where he spent his collegiate football career for the 2025 college football season.

Gary played as a defensive lineman for the Mustangs from 2016 to 2019. He ended his collegiate career with ten sacks and 23 tackles for loss. After graduation, Gary became an assistant coach at North Crowley High School.

He then joined the Arkansas Razorbacks as a graduate assistant in 2021 before joining the Houston Cougars in a similar role for the 2022 college football season. Demerick Gary left Houston to become the assistant defensive line coach at North Texas in 2023. He occupied the role until 2024, when he joined the Arkansas Razorbacks in a similar capacity.

Following a year at Arkansas, Gary's early coaching career is about to take him to where it all began at SMU.

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What will Demerick Gary bring to SMU?

Demerick Gary has kept himself busy since graduating from SMU. He will look to bring all that knowledge to his alma mater for the 2025 season and potentially beyond.

Gary was a mainstay on the Mustangs' defense during his playing days, and he hardly missed a game in his four-year spell with the program. He appeared in 12 games as a freshman, 13 as a sophomore, 11 as a junior and 13 as a senior. Hence, he'll be among the most relatable figures on the Mustangs coaching staff for the 2025 season.

The Mustangs are fresh off a college football playoff appearance in the 2024 season, but the Penn State Nittany Lions promptly bounced them from the competition. Their defense was lacking in the matchup, so it's unsurprising that improving their coaching staff has been a priority in the offseason.

Furthermore, the Mustangs have a handful of defensive players viewed as potential prospects for the 2026 NFL draft. While Gray never played in the NFL, his coaching experience could help sharpen these prospects for the professional game.