New Mexico is looking for a new head coach. Here's nine potential candidates

Nov. 27—And so it begins.

After the University of New Mexico dismissed former head football coach Danny Gonzales on Saturday, UNM athletic director Eddie Nunez promised a "swift, thorough" search for the Lobos' next head coach — without describing many of the qualities he was looking for in said coach.

But, as always, there's more than enough candidates to mull over. Here's nine potential names to consider as UNM starts their search:

UNM connections Bronco Mendenhall

Analysis: A former defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at UNM under Rocky Long, Mendenhall compiled a 135-81 career head coaching record over stops at BYU and Virginia with two Mountain West titles to boot.

Mendenhall has been out of coaching since 2021 but is expected to be a candidate for multiple programs in this iteration of the coaching carousel.

Matt Wells

Analysis: After serving two separate stints as UNM's wide receivers coach, Wells went on to serve as Utah State's head coach from 2013-18 before taking the same role at Texas Tech. His tenure in Lubbock, Texas wasn't nearly as strong as his time in Logan, Utah (44-34 record with two 10-win seasons), but he knows New Mexico and the challenges of building a program in Albuquerque.

Zac Arnett

Analysis: Arnett took over as Mississippi State's head coach after Mike Leach's death in December 2022, leading the Bulldogs to a win over Illinois in the Realiquest Bowl. But in his first full season, Mississippi State struggled to a 4-6 record and the La Cueva High School and UNM alum was fired on Nov. 13; his defenses, however, have always been good. It's not quite the same hire as Gonzales, but it's awfully close.

Gary Patterson

Analysis: Perhaps the single most intriguing potential candidate? The Rozel, Kansas native helped build his profile as former UNM head coach Dennis Franchione's defensive coordinator in the late 1990s, before accumulating a 181-79 record over 22 seasons as the head coach at TCU. He knows the Mountain West, coaching the Horned Frogs to four conference titles in seven league seasons. He knows what it takes to build something in Albuquerque. He's even best friends with New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill, notably visiting him in Las Cruces this August.

And at 63, he's recently made it clear he wants to get back into coaching after two seasons outside the game.

"I still have a lot of ballgames left in me," Patterson said in an interview with ESPN Central Texas in early November. "I'll be a lot better at it. I've already acquired a staff, guys' names depending upon where the school might be. I haven't just been playing golf here in the last 10 months. I've been watching guys, talking to guys. If the opportunity comes along and it's the right fit, I'll be ready."

FCS ranks Jason Eck

Analysis: Eck took over and led an Idaho program that had struggled for years to instant success, with FCS playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023. The La Crosse, Wisconsin native and former Badgers offensive linemen hasn't taken the Vandals up to the level of say, North Dakota State, but he's been around premier programs and has successfully built from the lines out.

Brent Vigen

Analysis: The Buxton, ND native spent the majority of his career at either North Dakota State or Wyoming before taking over as Montana State's head coach in 2021. Since then, he's 32-8 and has led the Bobcats to two FCS semifinal appearances.

Outside the program G.J. Kinne

Analysis: Kinne took an (at the time) unorthodox approach to rebuilding one of the most moribund programs in all of college football, bringing in a whopping 49 new transfers prior to his first season at Texas State. From there, he implemented an offense that led the country in a previous stop at Incarnate Word in 2022 and led the Bobcats to a 7-5 finish in his first year.

Brennan Marion

Analysis: UNLV's one-year turnaround has been stunning — enough for New Mexico Athletic Director Eddie Nuñez to mention it during a press conference after Gonzales' dismissal. Much of that success can be credited to Marion's "Go-Go" offense, an up-tempo, triple-option based scheme that's among the best in the country at running the football. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Marion has already interviewed for the San Diego State vacancy.

Bryan Harsin

Analysis: Harsin has been out of coaching since Auburn fired him in 2022 after a largely successful seven-year run as Boise State's head coach. He's expected to factor into the Broncos' vacancy more than anything else, but could serve as a fit for any of the Mountain West's current openings off experience alone.