New Mexico State University Athletics

On Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, Sanchez was named the 36th head coach of the NM State program after serving as the Aggies' wide receivers coach for two seasons. In 2025, Coach Sanchez will begin his second season at the helm of the Aggie program.
 
In his first year, the Aggies finished 3-9, including going 2-6 in Conference USA play. Sanchez guided the Aggies to a season-opening win over SEMO, which marked the program’s first season-opening victory since 2014. Additionally, Sanchez’s first victory at his alma mater made him the first Aggie head coach since 1978 to secure a win in his debut with the program.
 
Year one also included a double overtime home win over LA Tech and a road victory over Middle Tennessee. In 2024, the Aggie offense finished the averaging 180.0 rushing yards per game to rank third in the league and 40th in the country.
 
During Sanchez’s first season, the Aggies saw 11 individuals earn all-conference honors, including Second Team All-CUSA selections Seth McGowan (RB), Mike Washington (RB), AJ Vaipulu (OL), Tyler Martinez (LB), Abraham Montaño (K) and George Eberle (P).
 
With Sanchez leading the Aggie wideout group, the NM State receivers compiled over 4,000 receiving yards, including hauling in 31 of the Aggies' 46 receiving touchdowns during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Following an appearance in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, the Aggie passing attack ranked 20th in the nation in passing yards per completion (13.64) and was tied for 17th in the country in passing touchdowns.
 
Sanchez initially returned to the Land of Enchantment following a 2021 campaign in which he, Kill, and a multitude of other members of the Aggies' coaching staff were at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. There, Sanchez was an offensive analyst for the Horned Frogs and helped them pick up one victory over a nationally-ranked foe (#12 Baylor) through the team's 2021 campaign.
 
Prior to his time at TCU, Sanchez had a five-year run (2015-19) as the head coach at Mountain West institution UNLV. In Las Vegas, Sanchez totaled 20 wins at the helm of UNLV while also taking part in numerous fundraising efforts, which led to the construction of the $34 million Fertitta Football Complex. Sanchez remains fifth all-time in wins in program history.
 
During his tenure with the Rebels, Sanchez found early success and was responsible for one of only 17 five-win seasons for UNLV at the FBS level while also becoming one of only two UNLV coaches to win three or more games in his first season at the helm since 1999.
 
Sanchez also helped the Rebels increase their win totals in each of his first three seasons at UNLV to mark the first time that the program improved in the win column for three consecutive seasons.
 
With a 23-17 victory over Nevada in his first year as the UNLV leader, Sanchez is one of only four head coaches in the history of the program to defeat the Rebel's rival in his debut campaign and became the first coach in program history to do so on the road. Sanchez is also one of only two UNLV head coaches since 1981 to defeat Nevada more than once.
 
It was Sanchez's high-level success rate at the prep level that turned the most heads and allowed him to secure a head coaching job at the FBS level. Upon exiting the borderland following the 2003 season, Sanchez was installed as the head coach at California High School in Ramon, Calif., and began an 11-year run as one of the nation's best high school head coaches.
 
From 2004-08, Sanchez amassed 35 wins as California High School's head coach. Finishing at or above the .500 mark in all but one campaign, Sanchez successfully transformed the Fighting Grizzlies from a less-than-mediocre program to one that was a power in the East Bay Athletic League. Sanchez's best team at CHS was the 2007 edition, which went 11-2, claimed an East Bay Athletic League championship and made a run to the CIF North Coast Section Finals.
 
Taking notice of Sanchez's success in the Golden State, Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nev., came calling and hired Sanchez as its head football coach prior to the start of the 2009 season. What followed over a span of six seasons was nothing short of complete and total domination by Sanchez and his troops.
 
Bishop Gorman piled up an 85-5 record during Sanchez's tenure, which ran from 2009-14. Ranked as the top prep football program in the nation by such publications as USA Today and MaxPreps.com, Bishop Gorman never failed to capture the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) 4A state title in each of Sanchez's six seasons at the helm of the program. In 2014, Sanchez was named the USA Today High School Football Coach of the Year.
 
Sanchez spent a total of four seasons on staff at Oñate High School (now Organ Mountain High School) in Las Cruces, N.M. A wide receivers coach at that prep institution in 1998, he moved over to defensive backs coach in 2001 and 2002 before being named the defensive coordinator for the 2003 season. Irvin High School in El Paso, Texas, also employed Sanchez as its wide receivers coach in 2000.
 
Through his two-year tenure in an NM State uniform, Sanchez racked up 54 receptions for 741 yards and five touchdowns. Upon the conclusion of his collegiate career in the 1995 season, Sanchez served as an undergraduate assistant coach for the Aggies for their 1996 campaign.
 
A 1998 graduate of NM State, Sanchez possesses a bachelor's degree in family and consumer science. Five years later (2003), he secured a master's degree in special education. He is the father of a daughter, Alyssa, and a son, Jason.