Arkansas State is on the verge of losing one of their key support staff before they could even get most of his services. They have loaded the roster after this off-season, adding head athletic trainer Vince Blankenship, strength and conditioning coaches Cole Forney and Zach Reed, offensive analyst Christopher Browne, defensive analyst Demerick Gary, and many more. Guess who’s stepping down to reunite with his old home?

Demerick Gary is making the talk for a rampant return to the SMU defensive unit with an SEC assistant in the process. Sources tell FootballScoop that Gary is working on finishing his tenure as a defensive quality control coach at Arkansas to rejoin his alma mater, SMU. CBS Sports seconded the intel. Gary looks to be the assistant defensive line coach for the Mustangs. With a career stretching over 49 games in the span of three years from 2016, Gary earned his stripes to elevate to the coaching ranks.

With the ACC Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance under their belt, SMU looks to start off on a fiery note on Aug. 30 against East Texas A&M. The emotional homecoming of a previous cornerstone might add to their spark to make it big against the Aggies.

Gary had multiple stops in his career. He was an integral part of the coaching room in North Texas for two years previously. He has helped develop stars, enriching the Mean Green defensive line. Gary had a short stint in Houston as well. He kick-started his coaching career as a high school coach in his homeland, Texas. But no place quite felt like a home except SMU. The Mustangs have always been the rooting camp for him. What are all the factors that made SMU a breath of fresh air for the 27-year-old?

SMU has always been a go-to place for Demerick Gary

Demerick Gary felt an urge to visit the Hilltops more often than not. Ever since Mustangs started to pursue him back in 2015, he knew where he belonged. The way the SMU coaches and staff treat him with love, care, and genuine respect, Gary, as a kid, could get no better place to build a strong career, leading to a quick surge.

But it’s not just the coaches. A personal sentiment pushed him more toward the four-year destination as well. “I’m really excited. I really like SMU, man. I knew it right from the get-go. My mom said she wanted me to go to SMU, and I know she ain’t going to steer me wrong,” Gary told the Hilltops. “I went along with what my mom said. She’s been raising me all my life.”

“When I heard those words that she wanted me to go, that was all it took,” Gary said. “She liked coach (Van) Malone, coach (Chad) Morris, and coach (Buddy) Wyatt. She really believed in them to take care of me.” Demerick Gary started off as the seventh commit for the Mustangs in 2016. His electric chemistry with QB David Moore has been a highlight of his days at SMU. In his final season, the 6’2 player notched 19 tackles and 7.0 TFLs for 45 yards.

He had a lot of offers on his table as an elite high-school pick. He has fumbled a bit, too, with a sincere call from Virginia, but it didn’t take much to come back to his roots. The Mustang didn’t hesitate to pony up whenever the team needed him ever since. Finally, it’s time to resume from where he left!