Gonzales leaves ASU for New Mexico job
Arizona State defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales will be named New Mexico's new head football coach.
The Albuquerque Journal confirmed an early report from Yahoo Sports.
Gonzales, 43, was to be introduced Tuesday night at halftime of the New Mexico men's basketball game against Grand Canyon.
The news that Gonzales is leaving ASU after two seasons came soon after the 43-year-old met with reporters following ASU's bowl practice.
“The ability to win is what drives me in this business,” Gonzales said. “I said it 100 times, I hate losing more than I enjoy winning. That’s really sad because winning is really fun and it’s really hard to do in this game. But I can’t stand losing. If you don’t the ability to win, this job ain’t worth it. So in order for me to take a job, you have to have the ability to win. I’ve stood my ground on what it requires (at New Mexico).
“Those people will do everything they can to give you a chance to win, but you have to be able to pay assistant coaches. I could take a job where they’re going to pay me $1.5 million and you don’t have money for assistants, academic support, all the frills for recruiting. If you don’t have that, it makes it almost impossible to win. Those are the things at New Mexico that would need to be stepped up.”
ASU head coach Herm Edwards now must replace a second coordinator since the end of the regular season.
Edwards hired Zak Hill from Boise State as his new offensive coordinator. He has internal candidates to replace Gonzales including linebackers coach Antonio Pierce, defensive backs coach Tony White and analyst Marvin Lewis should the former NFL head coach be interested in the position.
Gonzales quickly became a finalist to replace Bob Davie as New Mexico’s coach.
Gonzales played at New Mexico before coaching there in different capacities from 1999-2008. He then coached at San Diego State from 201117, again working on the staff of head coach Rocky Long as he had with the Lobos. He is a native of Albuquerque.
Edwards said Monday he is supportive of Gonzales trying to land his first head-coaching job.
New Mexico went 2-10 this season and has won no more than three games for the past three seasons.
“It’s always nice to be wanted,” Gonzales said. “The best thing about this whole deal is the way coach Edwards and Jean (Boyd), Ray (Anderson) and Dr. (Michael) Crow have been super supportive. That’s not everywhere. There’s a lot of people you work for that don’t like.
“I’m honored my name is out there. There’s been conversation. All the interest I’ve had this off season, it’s very appreciated. I don’t ever want to take anything for granted. I have zero desire to be a coordinator at another Power 5 school, and there’s a lot of the ones that gave interest I would have zero desire to be the head coach.”