New Mexico State Coach Jerry Kill Steps Down, Tony Sanchez Takes Over as Head Coach
New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill has announced his resignation, and wide receivers coach Tony Sanchez will be assuming the role of head coach, according to an official statement released by the school on Saturday.
Health Concerns Lead to Resignation
In his statement, Kill expressed the difficulties he has faced this year and the immense effort he put into his role as head coach. He also mentioned that New Mexico State holds a special place in his heart and marks the end of his journey as a head coach. While he will remain involved with the Aggies, Kill acknowledged the need for a head coach with a lot of energy and wished coach Sanchez, the student-athletes, and New Mexico State University good luck.
Battling Health Issues
Jerry Kill, 62 years old, has been dealing with health issues throughout his coaching career. Earlier this season, he took a brief leave of absence from the NMSU team due to health concerns, missing several practices and a press conference. Kill has been managing epilepsy since 2005 and stepped down as Minnesota’s coach after the 2015 season due to similar health concerns.
Achievements at NMSU
During his two seasons at NMSU, Kill achieved a record of 17-11. This year, he led the Aggies to the Conference USA championship game and secured consecutive bowl game appearances for the first time since 1959-1960. Kill was also named CUSA co-coach of the year and guided NMSU to a remarkable victory over Auburn with a score of 31-10 on November 18.
Extensive Coaching Experience
Prior to his tenure at NMSU, Jerry Kill served as the coach at Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Emporia State, and Saginaw Valley State. He also spent two years at TCU, including a stint as the interim coach for four games. Kill’s final game with NMSU was a loss to Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl on December 16.
Tony Sanchez Takes the Helm
Tony Sanchez, who previously served as UNLV’s coach from 2015 to 2019 with a record of 20-40, will be taking over as the head coach of New Mexico State. Before his time at UNLV, Sanchez achieved great success as the coach of Las Vegas high school powerhouse Bishop Gorman, boasting an impressive 85-5 record.
(Photo: Michael Chang / Getty Images)