Liberty DC Scott Symons to be named DC at SMU

Liberty defensive coordinator Scott Symons is set to officially be named the defensive coordinator at SMU, according to multiple reports that ASOR can confirm. Symons is the second Liberty assistant coach to be hired away for a new position since the end of the regular season, joining offensive line coach Sam Gregg who has been named the offensive coordinator at Southern Miss.

“I think it just says a lot about our place, the culture we have, the job our coaches have done,” said Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze. “Scott certainly played a huge role in that. People are coming after our coaches every year it seems, and our off the field people.”

Symons has been the defensive coordinator for the Flames over the past three seasons, joining the program under Hugh Freeze prior to the 2019 season. He was also Liberty’s linebackers coach for the past two years after coaching the safeties his first season in Lynchburg.

Symons, who was one of 56 nominees for the Broyles Award in 2020 which is given to the best assistant in college football, helped lead Liberty to a 56-20 win over Eastern Michigan on Saturday night for the program’s third straight bowl win.

Under Symons’ leadership, Liberty’s defense finished No. 11 in the country in total defense and No. 29 in the country in points allowed. He will join an SMU staff led by new head coach Rhett Lashlee, who was hired on Nov. 30.

Prior to his time at Liberty, Symons was the defensive coordinator at Division II West Georgia for four seasons before he took a job coaching the inside linebackers at Memphis. Symons is a Dallas-Fort Worth native, growing up in the area and graduating from Fort Worth Christian in 2004.

“Scott getting to go home where his parents are 30 minutes from there and be around his kids, their grand kids,” Freeze stated Saturday night following the team’s win in the Lending Tree Bowl. “It’s hard. I think we have others that are being sought after too. We will see where it all shakes out when it’s over. One thing I know is that our place on the Mountain will attract really good people.”