New Missouri coach Barry Odom continues to finish building his staff.
The Tigers announced they will hire former Tigers safety DeMontie Cross as its next defensive coordinator. Cross and Odom were teammates at Missouri during the late 1990s.
DeMontie is an outstanding addition to our staff,” Odom said in a statement. “He’s really established himself as one of the top defensive minds in college football, and he’s had success at every stop he’s been at over the years. I’ve witnessed him on the road recruiting. He’s relentless and has done a great job of establishing meaningful relationships in a number of geographic areas. I know he’ll be a great mentor and leader who will relate well with our guys. I expect DeMontie to bring some great ideas and concepts defensively to us that will build on what we’ve been able to do this past year. Obviously he has great enthusiasm, excitement and passion for Mizzou, and we’re proud to have him back here”
Cross will join the Missouri staff after TCU’s bowl game against Oregon in the Valero Alamo Bowl.
Cross is a St. Louis native who originally attended Illinois before transferring to rival Missouri. He and Odom were teammates in 1996 when Odom was a freshman. Cross finished his career with 415 tackles.
After graduating, Cross stayed with Missouri as a graduate assistant and then as linebackers coach before moving on. He originally came to TCU as a linebackers coach before being named co-defensive coordinator this year.
“I’m so excited to have this opportunity to work with Coach Odom and contribute to a place that has given me so much,” Cross said. “Mizzou is in my blood, it’s the place that made me the man and the coach that I am today. It’s also a dream come true for me to work alongside a guy I’ve known for so long. Coach Odom and I have had a strong bond on and off the field, and I’m excited to come in and support him and his vision in every aspect imaginable. I’m honored he’s put his trust in me this way.
“Mizzou has already established a good reputation on defense, so all I’m looking to do is come in and put my own twist to it and try to make it even better. My players will know that a sense of urgency, attention to detail, and playing with enthusiasm and energy are the things that are most important to me. I think people enjoy watching a defense that plays that way.”
Odom has already put together an impressive staff.
He hired Utah State’s Josh Heupel as the offensive coordinator and USC defensive line coach Chris Wilson to coach the defensive line.
