Nuñez is working swiftly and thoroughly to find new UNM Football coach

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – UNM Athletic Director Eddie Nuñez spoke to the media on Sunday, a day after news was released that the university had fired Football Coach Danny Gonzales.

“Yesterday was a tough day. Danny is somebody who I truly care for and who I respect for, not just personally, but professionally. He has put a lot of work into our program, and this program is in a better place because of his passion and his love for this institution. At the end of the day, it was my decision. I want to make sure that I put our student-athletes first, and we put our teams in the position to be able to compete for championships and doing so while representing this institution in a first-class manor. The landscape is changing in college athletics, and we want to make sure that we stay not just a part of the picture, but a true contributor in the future,” said Eddie Nuñez.

Gonzales was fired after year 4 of his 5-year contract. Nuñez told the media on Sunday that Gonzales agreed to a $450,000 buyout and that those funds were coming from private donations. In his four seasons, Gonzales racked up an 11-win and 32-loss record.

A national search is now on for the 33rd head coach for UNM Football. Nuñez didn’t go into specifics on the hiring process, but he did give some insight into what they are looking for.

“I don’t want to limit myself and say that I am looking for a specific type, offensive, defense, head coach, non-head coach, coordinators. I am looking for the best that I can find. We need somebody that can connect to the community, that is important. There are some other jobs right now that are open and that are going to attract some individuals that might be on our list,” said Nuñez.

Nuñez addressed the financial limitations that the university will have when finding their next head coach, but he believes that they will find the right fit.

“We have limitations when it comes to budget and I think that is a part of our challenge. I am not here to say that we are going to compete against schools that are a part of the power 5, but we have to be competitive when we talk about salaries. So, I know that we can’t limit ourselves, we have to be able to go out there and be able to find the best person and find out if we are able to make it happen or not,” said Nuñez.