NMHU looking for 'strong leader' in search for next head football coach

May 10—New Mexico Highlands co-athletic director Shanna Halalilo said the search for the Cowboys' next head football coach is in its "very beginning steps" after parting ways with former coach Ron Hudson last week.

Hudson, a first-time head coach after spending over 30 years as an assistant, was fired May 1 after compiling a 5-16 record in two seasons with Division II NMHU. Per yearly salary reports, he was set to make $111,300 in 2024.

Halalilo, who serves as one of NMHU's two co-athletic directors with Jim Deisler, said she's "grateful" for the time Hudson spent leading the Cowboys, but maintained the need for the program to move in a different direction.

"The culture that coach Hudson built is one that I think a new coach is going to be able to come in and build upon," she told the Journal on Thursday. "Ultimately, there's a really positive environment surrounding that program, and I think that we're really looking forward to just moving into a new era."

NMHU — a public university based in Las Vegas, N.M. — has hired Mammoth Sports Construction to help identify coaching candidates. Mammoth, on its website, advertises over 500 completed searches with a specialization in small colleges.

Halalilo also said a committee of university and community members has been assembled to help make a hire "ideally as soon as possible.

"But the process does take some time," she continued. "And, like I said, I don't think that we're willing to compromise quality over a timeline. So I think we're going to take the necessary time to just really find the best leader that we can."

When asked why the university decided to part ways with Hudson in May — the overwhelming majority of football coaches are hired and fired immediately after the fall season — Halalilo reiterated that it was ultimately time for the university to go in a different direction.

"Being on the cusp of a new era, there's a lot of excited stakeholders and a lot of people who are interested in being involved," she said. "It's always a great thing when people are excited and engaged about your football program. So, just another really strong leader who can continue building culture."

While largely complimentary of his time at NMHU, Hudson said financial difficulties took a toll during his two seasons with the Cowboys. At the end of last season, during the busiest recruiting cycle, he claimed his coaching staff was told there was no money in the budget for recruiting and they would largely have to pay for their own travel.

"We're not only at the bottom of the conference, we're near the bottom nationally in athletic department budget ... I'd like to think that if there was some stability here and they got a little bit more financial backing, this thing could be a sleeping giant," Hudson told the Journal last week.

Halalilo, who previously spent five years as NMHU's associate athletic director for external operations, acknowledged Hudson's comments and said the university is actively looking to maximize any and all fundraising opportunities.

"It's not a secret that most Division II (departments) have a limited budget, and they recruit on limited budgets," she said. "And so that's definitely something that the university and our department have been working on. There are limited funds and it's not always ideal, but I can say we're improving."

With Hudson's dismissal, NMHU is now looking for its 13th head coach since 2000. The Cowboys have just two winning seasons (8-3 in 2012, 6-5 in 2006) since then and only one coach (Eric Young, 2011-14) has lasted longer than three seasons in that span.

Hudson was set to enter his third season after being promoted from associate head coach and special teams coordinator to take over for Josh Kirkland, who left for the head job at Southwestern Oklahoma State.

"I can't really point out every coach's decision for why they leave or why there's change," Halalilo said when asked about the consistent turnover. "I will say that Highlands' tradition goes very deep, especially in the football program. And so, I think regardless of who's running it or who's at the front, there's always going to be a deep tradition when it comes to football."