Anaya becomes next AHS head coach
Replaces Tim Johnson, who resigned last week
Albuquerque High moved fast and stayed close to home.
Only a week after Tim Johnson resigned as the Bulldogs head football coach, AHS on Tuesday announced that offensive coordinator Desmond Anaya was being promoted as his replacement.
“I couldn’t tell you what drives me to be a head coach, but I’m just very excited to be in the position I’m in,” Anaya, 32, said. “I’m grateful for the trust that the Albuquerque High administration and community has placed in me.”
Johnson is going to St. Pius to become offensive coordinator. He was AHS’ coach the last seven seasons.
Anaya played his high school ball at Goddard under coach Sam Jernigan. He later was a linebacker at Eastern New Mexico for two seasons and a defensive end at New Mexico State for his final two seasons.
“I’ve always wanted to be a head coach, and I’ve been really open about that personal goal,” Anaya said.
He joined the AHS staff in 2017. He was the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator from 2018-21, then OC last fall. He also coaches boys track and field and powerlifting at Albuquerque High.
“Stepping in, I just want to make sure that I’m mindful of leading by example,” Anaya said.
He previously coached at Goddard and was also on Sandia’s staff under Kevin Barker.
“I certainly have learned a lot along the way from the coaches I’ve had the opportunity to play for and coach with,” Anaya said. That list includes Jernigan, Barker, Johnson, plus current Carlsbad coach Cale Sanders who was once a Goddard assistant.
Now he hopes to transfer some of that Goddard know-how and success to Bulldog City.
“I guess you could say that’s part of my philosophy,” he said. “If you put in the work and you believe in what you’re doing, and you’re all in as a team, you’ll have success, whether the scoreboard always reflects that or not.”