Lashlee adds 3 to SMU football staff

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Lashlee adds 3 to SMU football staff

DALLAS (SMU) – SMU Head Coach Rhett Lashlee announced the addition of three members to the football staff on Friday.

Chris Wood (Director of High School Relations), Matthew McHugh (Director of Offensive Player Personnel) and Demerick Gary (Assistant Defensive Ends Coach) have joined the Mustang program for the upcoming year.

"Excited to be able to add three new staff positions to our team," Lashlee said. "We felt like it was an opportunity to further strengthen our personnel department, our assistant coaching staff and our overall high school relations throughout the state.

"Bringing in three men who have all coached at some point in the great state of Texas is always important and they all bring a ton of value to our program with all the experience and knowledge they have accumulated in their careers."

CHRIS WOOD – DIRECTOR OF HIGH SCHOOL RELATIONS

Wood brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from the high school world to the Mustangs. He has spent multiple decades coaching in Arkansas, resulting in elite success and numerous state championships. Over 21 years as a head coach, he made eight state semi-final appearances, four state championship games, and won two state titles.

Wood also coached Lashlee in both junior high and high school. He also spent time as the offensive coordinator under famed head coach Mickey Moss at Austin High School, playing an instrumental role in turning the program around before returning to Arkansas in his coaching journey. Moss, who spent 25 seasons as a head coach, recorded 180 career wins and made the playoffs 16 times while also capturing six district titles, noticed Wood's coaching ability immediately from his early days coaching in Arkansas.

What they are saying about Chris Wood

Head Coach Rhett Lashlee

"Chris Wood is a huge addition to our staff. I had the opportunity to play for Chris Wood in both junior high and high school growing up. Chris Wood coached for multiple decades in Arkansas, winning several state championships as a head football coach. He also served as the offensive coordinator at Austin High under long-time THSCA head coach Mickey Moss. Chris brings a ton of football knowledge, years of head-coaching experience and will work tirelessly to continue growing our already strong relationships with high school coaches throughout our great state of Texas.

"I've always said I coach football because of the impact my high school coaches had on me, namely, Chris Wood and Gus Malzahn. Chris has had a long and lasting influence on my career path and on who I am as a coach today, and to hire my former high school coach, who had such a big impact on my life is exciting and validates the importance of the role our high school coaches play in our lives."

Former Longtime THSCA Head Football Coach Mickey Moss

"When I began my head coaching career in Arkansas, I quickly recognized some of the top football coaches in the state, like Gus Malzahn, Kenny Wheaton and Chris Wood. Chris worked on Coach Malzahn's staff and stood out because of his football mind, character and competitive nature.

"Chris has always been a huge fan of Texas high school football and has a deep respect for the quality of coaches and the level of talent in this state. I later hired him as my offensive coordinator in Texas, where he was instrumental in turning around our program at Austin High School before returning to Arkansas.

"I've been fortunate to work with many great coaches, and Chris is truly among the best. His passion and love for football, his commitment to excellence and his ability to develop strong relationships will make him a tremendous asset to the SMU Football family."

Wylie High School Athletic Coordinator / Head Football Coach Jimmy Carter

"Welcome back to Texas, my former teammate, roommate and boss. Chris is an outstanding family man and a top-notch football coach. He's going to do an incredible job at SMU, especially when it comes to building strong relationships with Texas high school football coaches."

MATTHEW MCHUGH – DIRECTOR OF OFFENSIVE PLAYER PERSONNEL

McHugh joins SMU after spending time as an offensive coordinator at Crowley High School in Texas. He has also been at Corpus Christi Miller, Lubbock Estacado and Brownfield on the high school level.

He recently spent time at North Texas on staff in the director of recruiting role. He has been considered one of the fastest-rising coaches coming up through the ranks by various publications.

What they are saying about Matthew McHugh

Head Coach Rhett Lashlee

"We're ecstatic to add Matthew to our personnel department. Matthew has a strong history of coaching in Texas high school football and at the collegiate level most recently. He has robust relationships around the state, a great eye for talent and sees things through the lens of a coach. He's going to be a great asset to our entire personnel department and our staff."

Crowley High School Athletic Coordinator Carlos Lynn

"Great young up-and-coming mover and shaker in college football. McHugh has a great ability to connect and make connections with all types of people. He will be a valuable resource and asset to the Mustang program."

DEMERICK GARY – ASSISTANT DEFENSIVE ENDS COACH

A former Mustang who returns to the Hilltop, Gary brings a vast amount of knowledge as both a coach and from his playing days, not too long ago, for SMU. Previously, he was a defensive lines coach at North Texas since 2023. Before the 2023 season, the Dallas native 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, helping guide the Cougars' defense that recorded 30 sacks and led the American Athletic Conference (AAC) with 94 tackles for loss that season. He was also named one of On3 Sports' Rising Stars in college football that year for the superb play of the defensive front.

He was a graduate assistant at Arkansas in 2021 and served on the coaching staff at North Crowley High School in 2020.

Gary played for the Mustangs from 2016-19, appearing in 49 career games. He was a part of an SMU team that won 10 games in 2019, a first for the program since the 1984 season.

What they are saying about Demerick Gary

Head Coach Rhett Lashlee

"It's great to be able to add former Mustang great and Kimball High School star, Demerick Gary, to our assistant coaching staff as our assistant defensive ends coach. He was a leader on the 2019 team that won 10 games, and has been a great coach at North Texas, Houston and Arkansas in his short career. To be able to bring him back home to Dallas and back home to the Mustangs is a big deal for us."

South Oak Cliff Head Football Coach Jason "2 Tymes" Todd

"Coach Gary returning to SMU is not only a blessing to SMU but also to Dallas ISD. Seeing his growth from a player at Kimball we had to game plan against, to watching his playing career at SMU and his smooth transition into coaching shows he is a young star in the making. But most importantly, he is a positive role model that's going to do great things on and off the field."