Dallas Cowboys capitalize on unique advantage to land big-name coach who could fix key issue on defense

In cooking, they say slow and low is the way to go. The Dallas Cowboys are applying that mindset when it comes to building their defensive staff under first-time coordinator Christian Parker.

The Cowboys are taking their time casting a wide net to fill Parker's staff, and the results have been positive so far. And the latest news has a big-name college football coach joining the Cowboys' ranks.

Cowboys capitalize on unique advantage

The Cowboys are hiring SMU defensive coordinator Scott Symons as inside linebackers coach, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Symons was a big name in this year's coaching cycle, receiving interest from multiple NFL teams. His choice to join the Cowboys speaks volumes about what head coach Brian Schottenheimer is building in Dallas. Additionally, it's an opportunity for Symons—father of four—to stay in the Dallas area, which was a unique advantage for the Cowboys in this hiring process.

Symons will play a big role in fixing one of the Cowboys' main issues on defense: Linebacker play.

Symons was successful at SMU

It's not hard to see why Symons caught the attention of NFL teams. In 2023, his SMU defense produced seven All-ACC honors across his roster. That year, the Mustangs won 11 games with an elite defense that finished with 47 sacks, second in program history.

In 2024, the success continued. SMU's defense had six All-ACC honors as the went undefeated in the ACC and made the College Football Playoff. In 2025, SMU's defense ranked in the Top 25 in takeaways, red zone defense, defensive touchdowns, sacks, and other categories.

Christian Parker's defensive staff so far:

• Defensive coordinator: Christian Parker
• Defensive line: Marcus Dixon
• Secondary: Ryan Smith
• Defensive backs/defensive pass game coordinator: Derrick Ansley
• Outside linebackers: Chidera Uzo-Diribe
• Assistant secondary coach: Robert Muschamp
• Inside linebackers: Scott Symons
• Assistant defensive line coach: Bryan Bing*
• Defensive assistant: J.J. Clark*
• Defensive assistant and quality control: Tanzel Smart*
• Secondary/nickels: Darian Thompson*

Note: Coaches with an asterisk (*) denote returning coaches from last year's staff.