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Former SMU DL Demerick Gary joins Rhett Lashlee's coaching staff

On3 imageby: Billy Embody05/23/25BillyEmbody
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Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports

Former SMU defensive lineman Demerick Gary has returned to the Hilltop as assistant defensive line coach, sources confirmed to On The Pony Express. Gary was most recently at Arkansas as a quality control analyst, but instead will coach this season at his alma mater.

Before that, Gary spent two seasons as North Texas’ defensive line coach.

Prior to the 2023 season, Gary was selected to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 40 Under 40 list, honoring 40 rising coaches in the state of Texas under the age of 40. Gary spent the 2022 season as a graduate assistant and assistant defensive line coach at Houston. The Cougars defense had 30 sacks and led The American with 94 tackles for loss.

In 49 games from 2016-19, Gary notched 78 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, seven pass breakups, an interception and three fumble recoveries. He started 13 games during his career.

Former Mesquite (Tex.) Horn head coach and Ft. Worth (Tex.) North Crowley head coach Courtney Allen raved about Gary as a young coach working for him at North Crowley.

“I told the people at the Dallas Morning News, I feel like I hit the jackpot because he’s a younger guy,” Allen said in 2021. “He just got through playing so the kids relate to him and he plays the role well. He doesn’t act like a young guy. He coaches as if he’s been coaching for years. He’s not just coaching the kid that’s talented, he’s actually trying to fix and correct things. I think that’s huge.”

Gary was a standout at Dallas (Tex.) Kimball High School before landing at SMU.

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