New Mexico State’s head football coach Jerry Kill has announced his resignation, with wide receivers coach Tony Sanchez set to take over the role. Kill has been the head coach for two seasons, leading the Aggies to their first 10-win season since 1960. In a statement released by the school, Kill expressed his gratitude to the administration and the people of Las Cruces, saying that he had given everything he had physically, mentally, and emotionally. Kill, who has battled epilepsy since 2005, acknowledged the need for a head coach with a lot of energy and wished good luck to Coach Sanchez and the New Mexico State University as a whole.
Kill has a decorated coaching career that spans back to 1994 when he was hired at Saginaw Valley State. He has coached at various universities and served as the interim head coach at TCU in 2021 before joining New Mexico State. Meanwhile, Sanchez has previous head coaching experience at UNLV and has a strong familiarity with New Mexico State’s geographical footprint, having served as an assistant and then a head coach at various high schools in the area before making the jump to the college ranks.
The transition in leadership comes after Kill’s controversial comments following a loss in the New Mexico Bowl to Fresno State, where he called out alleged “chickenshit” behavior by UNM athletic director Eddie Nuñez. Despite this, Kill’s achievements and impact at New Mexico State have left an indelible mark on the university, and his departure marks the end of his journey as a head coach.