Demontie Cross
Head football coach Barry Odom has named Demontie Cross as his defensive coordinator at Mizzou. Cross was a senior safety and Odom was a freshman linebacker at Missouri in 1996.
Cross is currently co-defensive coordinator at TCU.
Here is Cross’ coaching resume from GoFrogs.com:
DeMontie Cross joined the TCU football staff in January 2013 as linebackers coach and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in February 2015.
Cross came to the Horned Frogs after serving as linebackers coach in 2012 at Kansas under Charlie Weis.
Prior to Kansas, Cross was the special teams coordinator and safeties coach at Wisconsin in 2011.
Demontie Cross
Cross spent five seasons (2006-10) in various positions with the Buffalo Bills. He joined the Bills as a defensive/special teams assistant in 2006 and was then promoted to assistant linebackers coach/special teams for three seasons. He was promoted again in 2010, taking over as the Bills’ inside linebackers coach.
Cross made the jump to the NFL after spending the 2001-05 seasons as Iowa State’s outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.
Cross spent the 2000 season coaching a defensive backfield at Sam Houston State.
“DeMontie is an outstanding addition to our staff,” said Odom. “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,” Odom said.
A St. Louis native and 1997 Missouri graduate with a degree in business management, Cross began his coaching career as the outside linebackers coach (1998-99) at his alma mater.
Cross totaled 415 career tackles at free safety for the Tigers from 1994-96. He led Missouri in stops as a junior and senior. He was second-team all-conference from the Big Eight in 1995 and the Big 12 in 1996.
Cross is married to Jessica and he has three daughters: Jadyn, Sheridan and Olivia.
“I’m so excited to have this opportunity to work with Coach Odom and contribute to a place that has given me so much,” said Cross. “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,” he said.
