- LOCATION: Las Cruces, New Mexico (population 111,385)
- CONFERENCE: Conference USA
- 2023 RECORD: 10-5, 7-2 in CUSA
- 2024 PREDICTION: 4th in CUSA
- HEAD COACH: Tony Sanchez, 1st season
- UNLV, 2015-19 (20-40)
- New Mexico State, 2024-present
- STADIUM: Aggie Memorial Stadium (opened 1978, capacity 28,853)
2023 Results
- L, 30-41 vs UMass
- W, 58-21 vs Western Illinois (FCS)
- L, 17-33 @ Liberty
- W, 27-17 @ New Mexico
- L, 17-20 @ Hawai’i
- W, 34-17 vs Florida International
- W, 27-13 vs Sam Houston
- W, 28-7 @ UTEP
- W, 27-24 @ Louisiana Tech
- W, 13-7 vs Middle Tennessee
- W, 38-29 @ Western Kentucky
- W, 31-10 @ Auburn
- W, 20-17 vs Jacksonville State
- L, 35-49 @ Liberty*
- L, 10-37 vs Fresno State**
2024 Schedule
- Aug. 31 vs Southeast Missouri (FCS)
- Sept. 7 vs Liberty
- Sept. 14 @ Fresno State
- Sept. 21 @ Sam Houston
- Sept. 28 vs New Mexico
- Oct. 9th @ Jacksonville State
- Oct. 15th vs Louisiana Tech
- Oct. 29th @ Florida International
- Nov. 9th vs Western Kentucky
- Nov. 16th @ Texas A&M
- Nov. 23rd @ Middle Tennessee
- Nov. 30th vs UTEP
Bold indicates CUSA game.
*CUSA Championship
**Isleta New Mexico Bowl
Key CUSA game: Jacksonville State (Oct. 9th)
The Aggies narrowly defeated Jax State last November, punching their ticket to the Conference USA championship game in the process. But this year, Jax State will be eligible for the title game and NMSU will be breaking in a lot of new starters. If the Aggies can bank this conference win on the road, it would be a big boost to their bowl and conference title hopes.
Key non-conference game: New Mexico (Sept. 28th)
Jerry Kill went 2-0 the past two seasons against the hated Lobos, but this always spicy rivalry will surely mean more to Sanchez as an Aggie alum. As a bonus, it’ll be inside Aggie Memorial this year.
2024 Recruiting Class – High School
- Jakobe Campbell, CB (Zephyrhills HS – Florida)
- Izeyah Wright, WR (Montgomery HS – Santa Rosa, California)
- Malaki Ta’ase, DE (Mountain View HS – Mesa, Arizona)
- Mateo Rodriguez, OT (Chandler HS – Arizona)
- TJ Pride, WR (DeSoto HS – Texas)
2024 Recruiting Class – Transfer Portal
- Kale Edwards, DE (Montana/Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)
- Matt Lawson, DT (Northwestern/Ontario, California)1
- Mike Washington Jr., RB (Buffalo/Cicero, New York)
- Justin Beadles, DE (Houston/Tyrone, Georgia)
- Nick Session, S (Oklahoma State/Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Naki Fahina, DT (UNLV/Lawndale, California)
- Josiah Cox, S (Arizona State/San Diego, California)
- Deuce Hogan, QB (Kentucky/Grapevine, Texas)2
- Jake McNamara, QB (UTEP/Franklin, Tennessee)
- Hunter Talley, TE (Missouri State/Siloam Springs, Arkansas)3
- Connor Brooksby, K (Utah Tech/St. George, Utah)
- Cole Schnettgoecke, DT (Quincy/Webster Groves, Missouri)
- Jabril White, CB (Cincinnati/Oakland, California)4
- Santino Marucci, QB (Wake Forest/Jacksonville, Florida)
- Derek Burns, DE (Troy/Richardson, Texas)5
- Dakerric Hobbs, CB (Sam Houston/Conroe, Texas)5
- Da’Marcus Crosby II, S (Sam Houston/Houston, Texas)5
1also played at Fresno State
2also played at Iowa
3also walked on at Arkansas
4also played at Diablo Valley College
5also played at Kilgore College
2024 Recruiting Class – Junior College Transfers
- Alex Lines, TE (Garden City CC – Gilbert, Arizona)1
- DaMarco Moorer, S (Riverside City College – Moreno Valley, California)
- Brec Long, TE (Coffeyville CC – Caney, Kansas)
- Jake Waltman, OT (Palomar College – San Diego, California)
- Brandon Nuñez, QB (Fullerton College – Mesa, Arizona)2
- Desmin Hatfield-Rushton, CB (American River College – Sacramento, California)
- Parker Awad, QB (Golden West College – Huntington Beach, California)
- Hayden Harlan, OT (Golden West College – Clackamas, Oregon)
- Elijah Harvey, OG (Reedley College – Fresno, California)
- Lanar Kelley Jr., CB (Sierra College – Jacksonville, Florida)
- Enzo-Pierre Tayou, DE (Long Beach City College – Inglewood, California)
- Ta’avili Tuitama, DT (Snow College – Mapusaga, American Samoa)
- Henry Davis III, DT (Palomar College – San Diego, California)
- Seth McGowan, RB (Butler CC – Mesquite, Texas)3
- Rontravious Perry, LB (Coffeyville CC – Covington, Georgia)
- Ethan Wood, TE (Snow College – Heber City, Utah)
- Zedekiah Rodriguez-Brown, CB (Cerritos College – Covina, California)4
- Jahrique Lowe, WR (Glendale CC – Pasadena, California)
- Latrell Neville, WR (Jones College – Houston, Texas)5
1also played at Arizona
2also played at Garden City CC
3also played at Oklahoma
4also played at Black Hills State
5also played at Nebraska
Assistant Coaches
- Tyler Wright, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
- 3rd year at NMSU; 1st year as OC
- Previously worked as tight ends coach & special teams coordinator (2022-23) under former NMSU head coach Jerry Kill
- Also worked with Kill and current NMSU coach Tony Sanchez at TCU (2021)
- Spent two years as quarterbacks coach & pass game coordinator at Division II UT-Permian Basin
- Joe Morris, defensive coordinator
- Colorado native who spent nearly half of his career in two stints at Division II Fort Lewis (2006-09; 2013-18)
- Was co-DC & defensive ends coach at Sam Houston the past three seasons (2021-23)
- Went 6-15 as Fort Lewis’s head coach (2017-18)
- Went 1-10 as head coach at Division II New Mexico Highlands (2010)
- Spent two seasons at the DC at Division II West Texas A&M (2019-20) as well as two years as a GA at Colorado State (2011-12)
- Nelson Fishback, tight ends/special teams coordinator
- Worked at FCS Missouri State under Bobby Petrino (2020-23) in the same title
- Was initially hired as an analyst at NMSU before being promoting from within before spring practice
- Former Western Kentucky QB (class of 2016)
- Spent the 2019 season as the WRs coach & special teams coordinator at Snow College with current Aggie assistant Andrew Mitchell
- Began his career at Louisville (2016-18)
- Andrew Mitchell, assistant head coach/offensive line
- 3rd year at NMSU; 1st year as assistant HC
- Came to NMSU under Kill in 2022 and also worked with Kill & Sanchez at TCU in 2021, where he was an analyst
- Oklahoma State grad (class of 2010)
- Spent 2017-20 at Snow College, including two seasons as head coach, where he went 12-5 overall
- Earned his first on-field job at FCS program Indiana State in 2016
- Began his coaching career as a GA for Houston (2013) and North Carolina (2014-15)
- David Cobb, running backs
- 2nd year at NMSU; 1st year as RBs coach
- Former running back at Minnesota (class of 2015) for coach Jerry Kill
- First joined NMSU in 2023 as director of scouting & NFL liaison
- Played in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans
- Jared Hensley, linebackers
- 1st year at NMSU
- Worked with Coach Morris in the same role at Sam Houston (2021-23) after beginning as a quality control coach in 2016
- Spent two years at Monterey Peninsula College, a California JUCO (2013-14)
- Worked a year as a GA at Division II Midwestern State (2015)
- Henry Fernandez, safeties
- 1st year at NMSU
- Former Sacramento State linebacker (class of 2014)
- Most recently served as a defensive analyst at Texas (2022-23) under co-DCs Pete Kwiatkowski & Jeff Choate
- Worked as a GA at Washington (2019-21) under head coaches Chris Petersen & Jimmy Lake
- Steve Irvin, cornerbacks
- 1st year at NMSU
- UNLV alum (class of 1999) who worked there under Sanchez from 2018-19
- Spent the 2023 season coaching the corners at Hawai’i
- Began his career at California JUCO College of the Desert (1999-2001; 2007)
- Earned his first FBS gig at San Diego State under coach Tom Craft (2002-05)
- Has also coached position groups at Texas State (2008-10), Montana State (2006) and the University of San Diego (2011-17; 2020-22)
- Eti Ena, defensive line
- 1st year at NMSU
- Eastern Washington alum (class of 2005) who spent two separate stints there (2003-05; 2016-21)
- Spent 2017-21 as EWU’s defensive coordinator & associate head coach
- Also had tenures coaching the DL at Idaho (2009-12) and Cal Poly (2013-15)
- Worked the past two years at Hawai’i under head coach Timmy Chang, coaching the DL and serving as co-DC in 2023
- Earned his first DC job from 2006-08 at Division II Eastern Oregon
- Cedric Cormier, wide receivers
- 1st year at NMSU
- Colorado alum (class of 2003) who played on their Big 12 championship team in 2001
- Previously coached WRs at UNLV under Sanchez (2015-19)
- Also spent time at FCS Houston Christian (2020-22), Montana (2008), Ball State (2023) and Miami-Ohio (2009)
- Houston native who began his coaching career in the Texas high school ranks (2004-06)
THREE KEY PLAYERS
- DE Buddha Peleti (Junior):
The junior broke out in 2023, playing in all 15 games as an edge rusher and finishing with 34 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
- S Dylan Early: (Senior):
He needs to avoid targeting penalties, but Early has developed into quite the leader for the NMSU secondary while entering his third season as a starter. The Houston product posted 40 tackles, two INTs, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
- LT Shiyazh Pete (Redshirt Junior)
The walk-on success story from Shiprock, New Mexico is entering his third year as a starter.
THREE KEY LOSSES
- QB Diego Pavia (transferred to Vanderbilt)
Pavia was an electric playmaker for the Aggies the past two seasons under Kill and offensive coordinator Tim Beck, and he followed them to Vanderbilt in the offseason after leading NMSU in both passing (2,973) and rushing (925).
- LB Keyshaun Elliott (transferred to Arizona State)
Elliott led the Aggies in tackles (111) and tackles for loss (10) before deciding to transfer to Arizona State in December.
- WR Jonathan Brady (transferred to Cal):
Brady transferred to the Bears after two seasons with the Aggies, catching 62 passes in 28 career games with 931 career receiving yards and seven TDs.
THREE KEY ADDITIONS
- QB Deuce Hogan (Grad Student)
He has only seven career passes, but Hogan might land the Aggies’ open QB gig after stints at both Iowa and Kentucky. The 6’4″ Hogan was a four-star prospect out of high school in Grapevine, Texas.
- DT Vili Tuitama (Junior)
Tuitama played 16 career games at Utah’s Snow College, where Aggies’ O-line coach Andrew Mitchell once worked, so there was an obvious connection there. Originally from Mapusaga, American Samoa, Tuitama had 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in his career with the Badgers.
- RB Mike Washington Jr. (Redshirt Junior)
The 215-pound Buffalo transfer has the look of an every-down back for the Aggies. He posted 1,119 rushing yards and 10 TDs in three seasons for the Bulls.
2024 Preview – Offense
The Aggies are in a transition phase under new head coach Tony Sanchez, who was promoted from wide receivers coach to lead his alma mater after two shockingly good seasons under head coach Jerry Kill (17-11). Offensive coordinator Tim Beck left for Vanderbilt, taking gunslinger QB Diego Pavia with him.
Left tackle Shiyazh Pete and left guard A.J. Vaipulu are both entering their third seasons as starters on the line, which should have adequate depth and added several JUCO newcomers in the spring. Speedster Monte Watkins and Buffalo transfer Mike Washington Jr. will look to be the primary tailbacks after three key contributors transferred.
The Aggies restocked at tight end in their recruiting class, including 6’6″ JUCO transfer Alex Lines, who enrolled early. Senior receivers Kordell David and Jordan Smith have played a lot of snaps, while Donovan Faupel caught eight passes as a freshman and could be a young player ready to emerge. Junior PJ Johnson has 14 career catches, while JUCO transfer Latrell Neville originally signed with Nebraska out of high school.
As for the all-important QB position, Sanchez didn’t tip his hand after the spring game, where JUCO transfers Parker Awad and Brandon Nuñez and Kentucky transfer Deuce Hogan battled.
“They all got even reps. They got to play with the ones, they got to play with the twos, play with the threes,” said Sanchez. “We’re not 100% where we want to be going into the season, but we’ve got a lot of time to do that. Summer work is going to be important with those guys.”
2024 Preview – Defense
The Aggies suffered more serious personnel losses on defense, then lost several assistant coaches, including coordinator Nate Dreiling, who left for Utah State. Sanchez strategically used the portal and JUCO transfers to plug immediate holes at places like defensive line and safety. The new coordinator will be Joe Morris, formerly of Sam Houston, and new assistant coaches include corners coach Steven Irvin, who worked under Sanchez at UNLV.
Arizona State transfer Josiah Cox and Oklahoma State transfer Nick Session should be ideal fits at safety, while DaMarco Moorer was a JUCO All-American at Riverside City College. Coaches were pleased to see the emergence of athletic corner Josiah Charles and safety Tayden Barnes, both redshirt freshmen who were recruited under Kill.
JUCO transfer Ron Perry will slide in at linebacker and will help fill the sizable hole left by departed inside ‘backer Keyshaun Elliott. Sone Aupiu, a former walk-on, posted 47 tackles as a backup last year, while Tyler Martinez had his moments as well.
On the interior, they’ll be hoping a combination of Northwestern transfer Matt Lawson, JUCO transfer Henry Davis III, UNLV grad transfer Naki Fahina and JUCO transfer Vili Tuitama can effectively stuff the run. The Aggies will also be hard-pressed to replicate last year’s sack total of 31, although they landed some key transfers who can help the pass rush, such as Montana DE Kale Edwards. Defensive tackle Gabe Jones is a redshirt freshman with a high ceiling.
2024 Preview – Special Teams
NMSU will have a new look on special teams under new coordinator Nelson Fishback, who was promoted from an analyst role. Both punter Zach Haynes and kicker Parker Davidson are now gone after solid campaigns. George Eberle was the only punter on the spring roster, while the kicking job could go to either kickoff specialist Carson Zilmer or Las Cruces native Jorge Figueroa, who has stints at both Santa Barbara City College and FCS Southeast Missouri State.
Summary
Aggie fans were delirious after Kill led them to 17 wins and back-to-back bowl games in two seasons before stepping aside, and now NMSU promoted Sanchez, the former assistant, from within. Sanchez is an Aggie alum and a former legendary Nevada high school coach at prep powerhouse Bishop Gorman who also coached at UNLV from 2015-19. He’ll be in uncharted waters as a coach who must keep the good times rolling in Las Cruces, as opposed to tackling a full-blown reclamation project.
The hope is that keeping key recruiters Tyler Wright and Andrew Mitchell on staff will help mitigate some of the key staff and transfer portal departures. NMSU can lean on a strong, experienced group of running backs and a quality offensive line as they attempt to find a new QB and locate additional targets at receiver. The defense has less experience or depth, but the recruiting class has some nice additions, the secondary has significant potential and new coordinator Joe Morris’s units at Sam Houston were typically solid. Special teams could be a question mark.
NMSU will hope to get off to a strong start in the first five weeks of the season: they open with back-to-back home games against Southeast Missouri State and reigning CUSA champion Liberty, then face Fresno State and Sam Houston on the road before heading back to Las Cruces to host rival New Mexico, who haven’t beaten the Aggies in three years. Getting off to a positive start there will be crucial in determining if the new-look Aggies can contend for the CUSA Championship again.
Letters from Las Cruces 