AWARDS & ACCOLADES
2023 Dave Campbell's Texas Football 40 Under 40 List
2022 On3 Sports' Rising Stars
BIO
Demerick Gary enters his second season on the Hilltop in 2026, serving as the assistant edges coach.
During his first campaign with the Mustangs in 2025, Gary held the role of assistant defensive ends coach. Powered by the defensive end unit, the SMU defense was a force, leading the ACC in key categories: red zone defense (fifth in FBS, 0.702) and turnovers gained (fifth in FBS, 28).
The defensive ends core was led by seniors Isaiah Smith and Cameron Robertson, both logging over 50 tackles in the 2025 campaign. Smith recorded 18 tackles-for-loss on the season, a conference-leading mark. Notching 8.5 sacks, Smith moved into second in program history for career sacks with 23. For his standout performance, Smith garnered All-America Honorable Mention accolades from Phil Steele along with being named second team All-ACC. Robertson put up an efficient season as well, posting career-highs in total tackles (52), tackles-for-loss (10.0) and sacks (5.0).
Gary was previously a defensive lines coach at North Texas since 2023. 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.
Senior defensive lineman D’Anthony Jones was named first team All-American Athletic Conference. The senior was graded as the nation's third-best edge defender (90.8) by PFF.
Gary was a graduate assistant at Arkansas in 2021 and served on the coaching staff at North Crowley High School in 2020. He was named one of On3 Sports’ Rising Stars in college football in 2022.
A native of South Dallas, Gary prepped at Kimball High School before going on to a standout career for the Mustangs from 2016-19. He played in 49 games in his career before earning his degree in 2019.
