Hawai‘i’s special teams unit has excelled in each of the first two seasons under special teams coordinator Chris Demarest.
Last season, multi-purpose player Scott Harding used his rugby-style kicking as a weapon as UH ranked 25th nationally in net punting. Nearly 75 percent of Harding’s punts were either fair-caught or downed while three of his punts directly led to turnovers in which the bouncing ball hit a defender. Harding, an honorable mention all-MW punter, also served as punt returner and his 8.3 yard average ranked 35th nationally.
In 2012, UH finished ninth nationally in kickoff returns and 11th in punt returns while kickoff returner Mike Edwards was a finalist for the Jett Award as the nation’s top returner. In addition, punter Alex Dunnachie was an honorable mention All-American by SI.com after ranking fourth nationally with a 46.2 average while Harding was 13th nationally with a 12.8 average. Long snapper Luke Ingram concluded a brilliant career by earning a free-agent deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Demarest, who also coaches the safeties, coordinates UH’s summer football camps and coaching clinics.
Prior to UH, Demarest coached at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania where he coached the special teams and secondary in 2011. It was his second stint with the Warriors after also coaching ESU’s secondary in 1993.
In 2010, Demarest was the defensive coordinator and associate head coach at Tiffin University in Ohio. Prior to that, he was the head football coach and athletics director at Hudson Catholic Regional High School in Jersey City, N.J., in 2009.
Demarest spent five seasons at Rutgers University (2004-08) and coached the nation’s second-ranked pass defense in 2007 and the sixth-ranked pass defense in 2006.
Prior to Rutgers, Demarest coached the secondary at North Carolina State from 2000-03, where he helped the Wolfpack to a Top 20 pass defense in 2002. It was there where Demarest coached with current UH head coach Norm Chow, who served as offensive coordinator in 2000.
Demarest coached the cornerbacks at Florida State from 1998-99 and was part of the school’s national championship team that went undefeated during the 1999 season. In his first season with the Seminoles in 1998, Demarest guided the nation’s No. 1-ranked pass defense. In his two seasons with FSU, the Seminoles competed in the Fiesta and Sugar bowls.
Demarest served as secondary coach at Lehigh (1995-97), where he was part of the 1995 Patriot League Championship team. He also served as secondary coach at Millersville (1994) and also at Northeastern (1991-92). He volunteered as an assistant at East Carolina (1990) and also acted as a graduate assistant at Rutgers in 1989.
In all, Demarest has been a part of nine bowl teams during his coaching tenure. He has coached 17 players who went on to play in the NFL, including two Pro Bowlers and one Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (Dexter Jackson).
The 1988 graduate of Northeastern was first-team All-New England and I-AA honorable mention All-America after leading the nation with 11 interceptions in 1987. He was a four-year letterman at defensive back and went on to sign as a free agent with the Washington Redskins in 1988.
Demarest has one daughter, Junelle, and two sons, Dante and Christopher.
The Demarest File
Hometown: Keyport, N.J.
Family: Daughter, Junelle, Sons, Dante and Christopher
Education
Northeastern, 1988, Bachelor’s in Business Administration
Playing Experience
1988, Washington Redskins (NFL)
1983-87, Northeastern
Coaching Experience
2012-: Hawai‘i, Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties
2011: East Stroudsburg, Defensive Backs & Special Teams Coordinator
2010: Tiffin, Defensive Coordinator/Associate Head Coach
2009: Hudson Catholic Regional HS, Head Coach/Athletics Director
2004-08: Rutgers, Secondary/Assistant Head Coach
2000-03: North Carolina State, Secondary
1998-99: Florida State, Cornerbacks
1995-97: Lehigh, Secondary
1994: Millersville, Secondary
1993: East Stroudsburg, Secondary
1991-92: Northeastern, Defensive Line
1990: East Carolina, Volunteer Assistant
1989: Rutgers, Graduate Assistant
