After reviving the New Mexico State football program over the past two seasons, head coach Jerry Kill resigned and was replaced by Tony Sanchez on Saturday.
Sanchez, 49, was wide receivers coach the past two seasons at New Mexico State, where he played wide receiver from 1994-95. He posted a 20-40 record as UNLV’s head coach from 2015-19.
Kill, 62, led the Aggies to a 17-11 record and back-to-back bowl appearances in his two seasons as head coach. With a 10-5 record this season, the Aggies enjoyed their first double-digit-win season in 63 years.
“Firstly, I want to extend my sincere thanks to the New Mexico State administration,” Kill said in a statement. “I also want to express my deep gratitude to the people of Las Cruces.
“This year has been tremendously difficult for me, and I gave it everything I had physically, mentally and emotionally. New Mexico State holds a special place in my heart as it marks the end of my journey as a head coach.”
A head coach for much of the time since 1994, Kill has a 175-115 record that includes stops at Minnesota, Northern Illinois and Southern Illinois. He has been an assistant coach at TCU, Rutgers and Virginia Tech and served as interim head coach at TCU in 2021.
Kill resigned at Minnesota seven games into the 2015 season due to his battle with epilepsy, a neurological disorder. He had four reported seizures during games for the Golden Gophers between 2011-15, including a scary incident during a contest in 2011 in which he collapsed on the sideline and went into spasms on the turf with his legs violently kicking.
Kill also had a major seizure during a 2005 game while he was Southern Illinois’ coach.
Since losing to Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 16, the Aggies have lost defensive backs coach Cliff Odom and offensive coordinator Tim Beck, who departed for Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, respectively.
