The obvious candidates (i.e., low-hanging fruit)
Danny Gonzales, defensive coordinator at Arizona State: An obvious choice, given he’s an Albuquerque native and former player at UNM. He began his coaching career on Rocky Long’s staff with the Lobos, then worked his way up the food chain in seven years with Long at San Diego State. Hired by Herm Edwards prior to this season to be the DC at ASU, he has helped the Sun Devils get a cup of coffee in the Top 25 and on their way to a bowl game next month.
Like some of the others on this list, his intimate knowledge of New Mexico and the challenge of building a winner out of the Lobo football program makes him a good fit. The fact that he’s a true local would certainly excite a fan base that is desperate for a breath of fresh air.
Zach Arnett, defensive coordinator at San Diego State: He’s not the only youngster on this list (keep reading) but, like Gonzales, is an Albuquerque native who played at UNM and started his coaching career under Rocky Long. He was promoted from linebackers coach to DC with the Aztecs when Gonzales moved onto Edwards’ staff.
For those of you old enough to remember Arnett as a kid, he was a Little League legend, then became part of La Cueva High’s ridiculously dominating runs in both football and baseball. Having both played for and then coached for and against the Lobos for his entire adult life, he understands almost as well as Gonzales the challenges of keeping UNM’s program competitive.
Noel Mazzone, offensive coordinator at Arizona: Another New Mexico native, this former prep star from Raton played quarterback at UNM four years after Rocky headed north to the Canadian Football League. All he’s done since is bounce around more than a pinball on steroids. He’s coached at 12 colleges and had a three-year stint as an assistant with the New York Jets and one as a high school assistant.
He’s had two stops at Ole Miss and coached in the SEC, Big Ten, Pac-10 (now 12) and the WAC — but never served as a head coach. At 61, he’s literally a career assistant who has never been with a team longer than five seasons, meaning he keeps U-Haul on speed dial. That might be a red flag.
He’s also the king of conservative offenses. He has been under fire this season at Arizona for scrapping Rich Rodriguez’s highoctane passing game for a dink-and-dump bubble screen approach.