Anthony Phillip Sanchez (born January 25, 1974)[1] is an American college football coach and former wide receiver, who is the current head football coach at New Mexico State University, his alma mater. He was the head football coach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) from 2014 to 2019.[2][3] Before that, he was the head football coach at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas.
 Sanchez at 2016 Mountain West Media Days | |
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | New Mexico State |
| Conference | C-USA |
| Record | 2–7 |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | January 25, 1974 Fairfield, California, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1992–1993 | Laney |
| 1994–1995 | New Mexico State |
| Position(s) | Wide receiver |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1996 | New Mexico State (SA) |
| 1998 | Onate HS (NM) (WR) |
| 2000 | Irvin HS (TX) (WR) |
| 2001–2002 | Onate HS (NM) (DB) |
| 2003 | Onate HS (NM) (DC/DB) |
| 2004–2008 | California HS (CA) |
| 2009–2014 | Bishop Gorman HS (NV) |
| 2015–2019 | UNLV |
| 2021 | TCU (OA) |
| 2022–2023 | New Mexico State (WR) |
| 2024–present | New Mexico State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 22–46 (college) 120–26 (high school) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 6 Nevada 4A state (high school) | |
| Awards | |
| USA Today Coach of the Year (2014) | |
Early life and college playing career
editSanchez was born on Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California, where his father was stationed.[4] Sanchez graduated from Granada High School in Livermore, California in 1992 and began his college football career as a wide receiver at Laney College, a junior college in nearby Oakland. In 1994, Sanchez transferred to New Mexico State University, where he played two seasons with the New Mexico State Aggies.[5] Sanchez made 54 receptions for 741 yards and 5 touchdowns in his two seasons at NMSU.[6]
Coaching career
editSanchez began his coaching career in 1996 as an undergraduate assistant at New Mexico State; he would eventually complete his bachelor's degree in family and consumer science at NMSU in 1998.[5] After graduating from NMSU, Sanchez spent the 1998 season as wide receivers coach at Onate High School, like NMSU in Las Cruces, New Mexico. In 2000, Sanchez became wide receivers coach at Irvin High School in El Paso, Texas. Sanchez returned to Onate High in 2001 to be defensive backs coach. In 2003, Sanchez was promoted to be defensive coordinator in addition to defensive backs coach at the school.[5]
In 2004, Sanchez got his first head coaching position at California High School in San Ramon, California. Sanchez turned around California High "from doormat status to a berth in the North Coast Section finals," according to ESPN.[7]
Sanchez became head coach at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2009 and would be head coach at the school for six seasons. In his tenure as Gorman head coach, Sanchez achieved an 85–5 record and led Gorman to the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association 4A championship every season.[5]
On December 16, 2014, the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents voted unanimously to hire Sanchez as head coach at UNLV. He was succeeded at Bishop Gorman by his brother, Kenneth.[8]
Sanchez and UNLV agreed to part ways on November 25, 2019. He coached his final game for the Rebels against Nevada on November 30. He finished with a career record of 20–40.
Sanchez joined the staff at TCU as an offensive analyst in 2021.[9] New head coach Jerry Kill, who had been on the staff with Sanchez at TCU, hired him as wide receivers coach at New Mexico State in 2022.[10] Sanchez succeeded Kill as head coach following the 2023 season.[11]
Personal life
editSanchez is of Puerto Rican and English descent.[7] He is divorced and has two children.[5] The National Catholic Register describes Sanchez as a "devout Catholic".[12]
Head coaching record
editHigh school
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Grizzlies (East Bay Athletic League) (2004–2008) | |||||||||
| 2004 | California[13] | 4–6 | 2–4 | 5th | |||||
| 2005 | California[14] | 8–3 | 4–2 | T–2nd | L CIF North Coast Section First Round | ||||
| 2006 | California[15] | 5–5 | 2–4 | 5th | |||||
| 2007 | California[16] | 11–2 | 5–1 | T–1st | L CIF North Coast Section Finals | ||||
| 2008 | California[17] | 7–5 | 4–3 | 4th | |||||
| California: | 35–21 | 17–14 | |||||||
| Bishop Gorman Gaels (Sunset 4A Region) (2009–2014) | |||||||||
| 2009 | Bishop Gorman | 15–0 | 8–0 | 1st (Southwest) | W NIAA 4A Championship | ||||
| 2010 | Bishop Gorman | 13–2 | 8–0 | 1st (Southwest) | W NIAA 4A Championship | ||||
| 2011 | Bishop Gorman | 16–0 | 7–0 | 1st (Southwest) | W NIAA 4A Championship | ||||
| 2012 | Bishop Gorman | 13–1 | 5–0 | 1st (Southwest) | W NIAA 4A Championship | ||||
| 2013 | Bishop Gorman | 13–2 | 5–0 | 1st (Southwest) | W NIAA 4A Championship | ||||
| 2014 | Bishop Gorman | 15–0 | 4–0 | 1st (Southwest) | W NIAA 4A Championship | ||||
| Bishop Gorman: | 85–5 | 37–0 | |||||||
| Total: | 120–26 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
College
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNLV Rebels (Mountain West Conference) (2015–2019) | |||||||||
| 2015 | UNLV | 3–9 | 2–6 | T–4th (West) | |||||
| 2016 | UNLV | 4–8 | 3–5 | T–3rd (West) | |||||
| 2017 | UNLV | 5–7 | 4–4 | 3rd (West) | |||||
| 2018 | UNLV | 4–8 | 2–6 | 5th (West) | |||||
| 2019 | UNLV | 4–8 | 2–6 | T–4th (West) | |||||
| UNLV: | 20–40 | 13–27 | |||||||
| New Mexico State Aggies (Conference USA) (2024–present) | |||||||||
| 2024 | New Mexico State | 2–6 | 1–4 | ||||||
| New Mexico State: | 2–6 | 1–4 | |||||||
| Total: | 22–46 | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Bishop Gorman High School – Football Coaches – Tony Sanchez". Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- ^ Evans, Thayer (December 6, 2014). "UNLV finalizing agreement to hire Bishop Gorman High's Tony Sanchez". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
- ^ "UNLV Coach Tony Sanchez Out After 5 Seasons". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ Dodd, Dennis (March 11, 2015). "Connected and confident, Tony Sanchez is ready to run wild at UNLV". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e "Tony Sanchez". UNLV Rebels. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ^ "Tony Sanchez College Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- ^ a b Sherman, Mitch (October 4, 2013). "Sanchez sets bar at Bishop Gorman". ESPN. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ^ Anderson, Mark (December 17, 2014). "Regents unanimously approve Sanchez as UNLV football coach". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ^ Davison, Drew (April 30, 2021). "Former UNLV football coach to join TCU as volunteer assistant". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
- ^ Groves, Jason (January 11, 2022). "Tony Sanchez returns to Las Cruces, where his coaching career started". Las Cruces Sun-News. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ Thamel, Pete (December 23, 2023). "Kill steps down, Sanchez named HC at NMSU". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ Kudialis, Chris (December 22, 2014). "On Faith and Football: A Conversation With UNLV Coach Tony Sanchez". National Catholic Register. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ^ "Schedule – California Grizzlies 2004 Football (San Ramon, CA)". MaxPreps. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- ^ "Schedule – California Grizzlies 2005 Football (San Ramon, CA)". MaxPreps. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- ^ "Schedule – California Grizzlies 2006 Football (San Ramon, CA)". MaxPreps. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- ^ "Schedule – California Grizzlies 2007 Football (San Ramon, CA)". MaxPreps. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- ^ "Schedule – California Grizzlies 2008 Football (San Ramon, CA)". MaxPreps. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 16, 2015.