TCU football assistant a candidate for New Mexico job, per report
TCU co-offensive coordinator Curtis Luper has emerged as a candidate for the University of New Mexico job, according to a report in the Albuquerque Journal.
UNM has reached out to Luper to gauge his interest in the position, the report states. Luper could not be reached for comment by the Star-Telegram.
Arizona State defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales is another leading candidate, according to the report. Gonzales is a former UNM football player and assistant coach.
Luper has familiarity with New Mexico, as well, serving as its running backs coach from 2002-04 under Rocky Long.
Luper then coached at his alma mater Oklahoma State (2005-08) and Auburn (2009-12) before landing at TCU. He started out coaching wide receivers for the Horned Frogs in 2013, and was promoted in 2017 to co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach.
He’s best known as an ace recruiter who has helped bring in highly-touted players wherever he’s been.
Luper was the man behind Cam Newton going to Auburn when it won a national championship in 2010, and has brought in NFL-caliber talents at TCU such as Ross Blacklock, Darius Anderson and Jalen Reagor.
TCU had a disappointing season in 2019, going 5-7 and missing bowl eligibility for just the third time in Gary Patterson’s 19 seasons.
But the rushing attack under Luper’s guidance served as a bright spot, ranking third in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs finished the season with 1,647 yards and 16 TDs on the ground.
The 204.0 yards per game on the ground were the most by a TCU team since 2015 (215.4 yards per game). The Horned Frogs ranked 31st-nationally in rushing offense this season, as one of only 13 Power Five teams to top the 200-yard per game mark.
Anderson and fellow senior Sewo Olonilua led the attack, and have been invited to all-star games this offseason. Anderson will play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama next month, while Olonilua has accepted an invite to the NFLPA’s Collegiate Bowl in Los Angeles.
This story was originally published December 11, 2019 at 9:54 AM.
