Ad Disclosure
Missouri hires TCU defensive coordinator, former Tiger to fill same role in Columbia
Published:
Missouri’s next defensive coordinator should feel right at home.
Coach Barry Odom has hired TCU defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross to fill the same vacancy on Missouri’s staff, and he’ll also coach linebackers. An official announcement was made by the Missouri athletics department via Twitter.
NEWS: DeMontie Cross Joins #Mizzou Football Coaching Staff
[https://t.co/u8nkxAY6td]#MIZ pic.twitter.com/gj58eP0LRv— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) December 18, 2015
Cross was born in St. Louis and played safety for Missouri from 1994-96. Odom was a freshman during Cross’ final year with the school. Not long after, Cross spent two seasons as Mizzou’s linebackers coach (1998-99).
Cross was promoted to co-defensive coordinator at TCU in February 2015, and the Horned Frogs fared pretty well on that side of the ball this season. TCU finished as the Big 12’s third-best scoring defense (26.1 points per game). Meanwhile, the Horned Frogs were also third in the conference in yards per play allowed (5.17).
It’s also worth noting Cross spent five seasons (2006-10) in various positions in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills.
In a release, the team said Cross will join the team after TCU’s Alamo Bowl matchup with Oregon on Jan. 2.
Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.
