TCU co-defensive coordinator Cross takes DC job at Missouri

TCU co-defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross, who helped the Horned Frogs remake themselves on the fly at linebacker this season, is headed to Missouri to be defensive coordinator. He will join the staff of former Missouri teammate Barry Odom, but will stay with the Horned Frogs through the Alamo Bowl against Oregon.

Cross coached linebackers for three seasons at TCU, where he arrived in 2013 from coaching linebackers at Kansas. He and Chad Glasgow were elevated to co-defensive coordinators in February this year following the retirement of Dick Bumpas.

Cross, 41, joins the staff led by Odom, who took over as head coach of the Tigers after the retirement of Gary Pinkel.

Cross, who is from St. Louis, played at Missouri from 1994 to ’96, and Odom played there from ’96 to ’99.

Under Cross in 2013 and 2014, linebacker Paul Dawson — who came to TCU after playing receiver in junior college — led the team in tackles both seasons, earning Walter Camp All-America status and Big 12 defensive player of the year honors as a senior.

This season, the Horned Frogs lost both starting linebackers after the first game, one to injury and one for personal reasons. Cross helped implement head coach Gary Patterson’s plan to use safeties Travin Howard and Montrel Wilson at linebacker, and both became effective players in an 8-0 start that turned into a 10-2 season.

“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,” Odom told mutigers.com. “Obviously he has great enthusiasm, excitement and passion for Mizzou, and we're proud to have him back here.”

It’s the first staff change for TCU since the end of the regular season. Co-offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie both interviewed for other positions; Meacham withdrew two weeks ago from consideration as head coach at North Texas, and Cumbie last week declined an offer to join Texas as offensive coordinator.

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 12:27 PM with the headline "TCU co-defensive coordinator Cross takes DC job at Missouri."