Through much change in San Diego State football, Demetrius Sumler has been a constant for nearly a decade.
Sumler, now, is positioned for an even larger role in the future of Aztecs football.
Sources tell FootballScoop that Sumler is being elevated by second-year head coach Sean Lewis into the full-time role of defensive coordinator.
San Diego State is preparing for its spot in the New Mexico Bowl next Saturday opposite North Texas.
Sumler has been operating as the interim defensive coordinator during this preparation after the departure of Rob Aurich for the defensive coordinator post at Matt Rhule’s Nebraska program.
For Sumler, this promotion is a significant career development for someone who first arrived at San Diego State as a graduate assistant. That move came immediately following Sumler’s playing career, which spanned three years at the University of Colorado and a final year of competition at Central Michigan.
Showcasing his value in the Aztecs program, Sumler is the very rare coach in college football who’s been retained by three different head coaches.
First working under Rocky Long, Sumler has been on the staffs of Long, Brady Hoke and now Lewis.
He’s grown from graduate assistant to cornerbacks coach to cornerbacks coach as well as passing game coordinator and now Aztecs defensive coordinator.
San Diego State posted one of college football’s largest year-over-year turnarounds from 2024 to ’25 under Lewis, the former Kent State head man.
The Aztecs posted a nine-win regular season that saw them wedge into a four-way tie for first place in the Mountain West Conference, a year after just winning four total games. They got a massive in-state, non-conference win against Cal and also dismissed Fresno State and San Jose State in MWC play.