Staff Directory
Cassity, Skyler
Skyler Cassity
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Backs
- Email:
- Alma Mater:
- Auburn, 2016
Skyler Cassity was hired as the program’s next defensive coordinator in December of 2024.
Cassity comes to UNT after spending the 2024 season in the same role at Sam Houston, guiding the Bearkats to the 22nd-ranked defense in FBS. Under his watch in 2024, the Bearkats finished the year 10-3 and earned the first bowl victory in program history with a 31-26 win over Georgia Southern in the New Orleans Bowl.
An up-and-coming star in the coaching ranks, Cassity led a Sam Houston pass defense that ranked 13th in the country while forcing 27 turnovers, the seventh-most in FBS in 2024. The Bearkats were also one of only eight Group of Five teams to give up 21.0 points per game or less on the year.
Upon arrival at Sam Houston, Cassity inherited a 3-9 defense which he immediately turned into a 9-3 team for 2024. The program became bowl eligible for the first time, narrowly missing out on a berth in the CUSA championship game.
Cassity quickly upgraded Sam Houston’s defense in his one year. The Bearkats’ scoring defense ranked 64th in FBS in 2023 and jumped to the No. 21 scoring defense in 2024. In addition, Sam Houston improved from 88th to 22nd in total defense, 92nd to 57th in rushing defense and 77th to 13th in passing defense. In CUSA, Cassity’s defense was top five in every category, while leading the conference in scoring defense and interceptions.
In 2024, the Sam Houston defense held eight of its 13 opponents under its season scoring average and held nine to 21 points or less. The Bearkats were even stronger defensively down the stretch, allowing just 15.3 points per game over the final six contests.
Prior to Sam Houston, Cassity spent two seasons, 2022-23, as Abilene Christian’s defensive coordinator. In 2023, two major publications highlighted Cassity’s success and bright future: 247 Sports named him to its “30 Under 30” list as did Dave Campbell’s Texas Football “40 Under 40.”
No stranger to the state of Texas, Cassity also served as a graduate assistant at both Texas Tech (2018-19) and Texas State (2017) prior to his time at ACU.
At ACU, he helped the Wildcats post a dozen wins in two seasons, its most in a two-year period since the program moved to Division I. While there he coached four all-conference selections, his defense held 14 of its 19 FCS opponents under their season scoring averages and was a top 35 Massey-rated defense each year.
In 2022, he helped lead the Wildcats to a 7-4 record, the best for the program since it left the Division II ranks. That season his defense was proclaimed as the top in ACU's history and was near the top of the Western Athletic Conference in multiple statistical categories, ranking second in the league in rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense. Additionally, the Wildcats ranked in the top 20 of the FCS in third-down defense, first downs allowed and rushing.
A year later he helped lead Abilene Christian to five more victories while his defensive unit ranked second in the newly formed United Athletic Conference and 23rd in the FCS with 12 interceptions. The Wildcats also ranked 29th in the FCS in defensive touchdowns and 27th in fourth-down defense.
Cassity’s stint at ACU came after spending two seasons coaching outside linebackers, nickels and safeties under head coach Bobby Petrino at Missouri State. The Bears' defense finished the 2021 season ranked sixth nationally in turnovers forced, 11th in interceptions and 11th in defensive touchdowns while making their second consecutive appearance in the FCS Playoffs, snapping a 30-year playoff drought for the program.
While working on his master’s degree in sports management at Texas Tech, Cassity was an outside linebackers analyst and defensive graduate assistant for the Red Raiders’ 2017 and 2019 seasons under then-head coach Kliff Kingsbury, plus the 2019 season under then-head coach Matt Wells.
For the 2016 season, Cassity coached at Texas State as the primary defensive graduate assistant under then-head coach Everett Withers. The Bobcats boasted the 2017 top recruiting class in the Sun Belt Conference.
Cassity attended Auburn University for his undergrad degree from 2012-16, earning his business administration degree in 2016. He played lacrosse while also growing his football coaching and recruiting experience in the Southeastern Conference with the Tigers’ football team thanks to then-head coach Gus Malzahn and Casey Woods hiring him in February of 2014.
While in high school at Riverwood International Charter School, Atlanta, Cassity was a quarterback for the Raiders under then-head coach Robert Ingram, Cassity’s football playing career was cut short in 2010 due to career-ending chest surgery to correct his pectus excavatum via the Nuss Procedure. Ingram, still a mentor today, immediately elevated the young Cassity to a student assistant thus kicking off his coaching career.
He brings along plenty of football pedigree as well, growing up as the son of longtime college coach Mike Cassity, who lettered for Kentucky football and wrestling (1971-76), spent 40 years on the sidelines including 22 years as a defensive coordinator at the Division I level at Louisville, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, East Carolina, ULM and Western Kentucky.
A football family, Cassity has two brothers who played college football as Hunter, played safety at Samford and Braden was a fullback at Oklahoma State.
Cassity is married to nee Kori Peek, who grew up in Lubbock. The couple met while both attending Texas Tech.
Coaching History
2014-16: Auburn, student assistant
2016: Texas State, graduate assistant
2017-19: Texas Tech, graduate assistant
2020-21: Missouri State, linebackers/nickels/safeties
2022-23: Abilene Christian, defensive coordinator
2024: Sam Houston, defensive coordinator
2024-: UNT, defensive coordinator
Cassity comes to UNT after spending the 2024 season in the same role at Sam Houston, guiding the Bearkats to the 22nd-ranked defense in FBS. Under his watch in 2024, the Bearkats finished the year 10-3 and earned the first bowl victory in program history with a 31-26 win over Georgia Southern in the New Orleans Bowl.
An up-and-coming star in the coaching ranks, Cassity led a Sam Houston pass defense that ranked 13th in the country while forcing 27 turnovers, the seventh-most in FBS in 2024. The Bearkats were also one of only eight Group of Five teams to give up 21.0 points per game or less on the year.
Upon arrival at Sam Houston, Cassity inherited a 3-9 defense which he immediately turned into a 9-3 team for 2024. The program became bowl eligible for the first time, narrowly missing out on a berth in the CUSA championship game.
Cassity quickly upgraded Sam Houston’s defense in his one year. The Bearkats’ scoring defense ranked 64th in FBS in 2023 and jumped to the No. 21 scoring defense in 2024. In addition, Sam Houston improved from 88th to 22nd in total defense, 92nd to 57th in rushing defense and 77th to 13th in passing defense. In CUSA, Cassity’s defense was top five in every category, while leading the conference in scoring defense and interceptions.
In 2024, the Sam Houston defense held eight of its 13 opponents under its season scoring average and held nine to 21 points or less. The Bearkats were even stronger defensively down the stretch, allowing just 15.3 points per game over the final six contests.
Prior to Sam Houston, Cassity spent two seasons, 2022-23, as Abilene Christian’s defensive coordinator. In 2023, two major publications highlighted Cassity’s success and bright future: 247 Sports named him to its “30 Under 30” list as did Dave Campbell’s Texas Football “40 Under 40.”
No stranger to the state of Texas, Cassity also served as a graduate assistant at both Texas Tech (2018-19) and Texas State (2017) prior to his time at ACU.
At ACU, he helped the Wildcats post a dozen wins in two seasons, its most in a two-year period since the program moved to Division I. While there he coached four all-conference selections, his defense held 14 of its 19 FCS opponents under their season scoring averages and was a top 35 Massey-rated defense each year.
In 2022, he helped lead the Wildcats to a 7-4 record, the best for the program since it left the Division II ranks. That season his defense was proclaimed as the top in ACU's history and was near the top of the Western Athletic Conference in multiple statistical categories, ranking second in the league in rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense. Additionally, the Wildcats ranked in the top 20 of the FCS in third-down defense, first downs allowed and rushing.
A year later he helped lead Abilene Christian to five more victories while his defensive unit ranked second in the newly formed United Athletic Conference and 23rd in the FCS with 12 interceptions. The Wildcats also ranked 29th in the FCS in defensive touchdowns and 27th in fourth-down defense.
Cassity’s stint at ACU came after spending two seasons coaching outside linebackers, nickels and safeties under head coach Bobby Petrino at Missouri State. The Bears' defense finished the 2021 season ranked sixth nationally in turnovers forced, 11th in interceptions and 11th in defensive touchdowns while making their second consecutive appearance in the FCS Playoffs, snapping a 30-year playoff drought for the program.
While working on his master’s degree in sports management at Texas Tech, Cassity was an outside linebackers analyst and defensive graduate assistant for the Red Raiders’ 2017 and 2019 seasons under then-head coach Kliff Kingsbury, plus the 2019 season under then-head coach Matt Wells.
For the 2016 season, Cassity coached at Texas State as the primary defensive graduate assistant under then-head coach Everett Withers. The Bobcats boasted the 2017 top recruiting class in the Sun Belt Conference.
Cassity attended Auburn University for his undergrad degree from 2012-16, earning his business administration degree in 2016. He played lacrosse while also growing his football coaching and recruiting experience in the Southeastern Conference with the Tigers’ football team thanks to then-head coach Gus Malzahn and Casey Woods hiring him in February of 2014.
While in high school at Riverwood International Charter School, Atlanta, Cassity was a quarterback for the Raiders under then-head coach Robert Ingram, Cassity’s football playing career was cut short in 2010 due to career-ending chest surgery to correct his pectus excavatum via the Nuss Procedure. Ingram, still a mentor today, immediately elevated the young Cassity to a student assistant thus kicking off his coaching career.
He brings along plenty of football pedigree as well, growing up as the son of longtime college coach Mike Cassity, who lettered for Kentucky football and wrestling (1971-76), spent 40 years on the sidelines including 22 years as a defensive coordinator at the Division I level at Louisville, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, East Carolina, ULM and Western Kentucky.
A football family, Cassity has two brothers who played college football as Hunter, played safety at Samford and Braden was a fullback at Oklahoma State.
Cassity is married to nee Kori Peek, who grew up in Lubbock. The couple met while both attending Texas Tech.
Coaching History
2014-16: Auburn, student assistant
2016: Texas State, graduate assistant
2017-19: Texas Tech, graduate assistant
2020-21: Missouri State, linebackers/nickels/safeties
2022-23: Abilene Christian, defensive coordinator
2024: Sam Houston, defensive coordinator
2024-: UNT, defensive coordinator
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