ASU football defensive coordinator and assistant head coach Danny Gonzales is set to become the next head coach at the University of New Mexico, according to multiple news outlets.
Gonzales was one of three finalists for the job along with Texas Christian University co-offensive coordinator Curtis Luper and Weber State head coach Jay Hill, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.
According to a press release from University of New Mexico media director Frank Mercogliano, athletic director Eddie Nunez will announce the next football coach at halftime of their men's basketball game versus Grand Canyon. The release did not announce Gonzales as the new coach.
Gonzales spent two years coaching ASU's defense, aiding head coach Herm Edwards to a combined 14-11 record over that span.
The coordinator played at UNM as a punter and a safety from 1996-1998. He became a graduate assistant at the school from 1999-2002, moved to video coordinator from 2003-2005 and was an assistant from 2005-2008.
He then joined current San Diego State head coach Rocky Long at the school as the safeties coach in 2011, later being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2017. After leading the Aztecs to the 11th-best defense in the nation in 2017, Edwards brought Gonzales in as defensive coordinator in 2018.
Gonzales led the Sun Devil's defense to force the most turnovers on defense in the Pac-12 in 2019, recovering a conference-best 13 fumbles and hauling in nine interceptions.
After reports surfaced that Gonzales was a leading candidate for the opening, Edwards rooted for his coordinator to win the job.
"I’m pulling for him. If that happens for him, good for him," Edwards said at a news conference Monday. "If they offer him the job, I’m going to be happy for him."
Before reports began surfacing, Gonzales said that he was "honored" that his name was in the conversations for the opening.
"It's always nice to be wanted," Gonzales said at a news conference on Tuesday. "Do I want to be a head coach? Some day."
UNM fired head coach Bob Davie this past November after going 2-10 in 2019 and winless in the Mountain West Conference. He only coached two winning seasons in his eight year tenure at the school.
No reports have been made regarding Gonzales' coaching status for ASU's upcoming game in the Sun Bowl against Florida State.
Reach the reporter at jhorst2@asu.edu and follow @HorseySeven on Twitter.
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Jeffrey Horst is the digital editor-in-chief of The State Press. He previously served as the publication's sports editor and worked at Cronkite News and ArizonaSports.com.
