NMPreps Publisher Joshua Grine breaks down his tiers of the top New Mexico high school football coaches. After over 15 years on the sidelines, I've heard criticism and dislike from coaches I've never met, as well as from those I have met. Neither of those influenced my list. This is an objective ranking of the best active head coaches in New Mexico high school football.
Top Tier
Brandon Back (La Cueva), Joey Fernandez (St. Michael's), Jeff Lynn (Roswell), Jeremy Maupin (Artesia), Leroy Gonzales (Robertson), Shaun Wigley (Gateway Christian), Jaime Ramirez (Portales)
The objective approach to this is "Just Win Baby," as the late great Al Davis would say. The coaches in this group have all done just that, with Back, Fernandez, and Maupin winning a state championship last season. Lynn, Wigley, Ramirez, and Gonzales finished as runners-up last season, but Wigley and Gonzales also won state championships in 2022.
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KING OF THE METRO
Brandon Back (La Cueva): In Albuquerque, Brandon Back is a name to know. His La Cueva team is favored to repeat their success, showing no signs of slowing down. Do you remember when a young someone ranked them 26th in our preseason rankings? Neither do I. Now, he has built a juggernaut that could surpass the memories of La Cueva football from the 2000s. This program is run well, with solid athletes and a captain guiding the ship.
KINGS OF THE NORTH
Joey Fernandez (St. Michael's): Heading north, Fernandez continues to add to his legacy. The Horsemen head coach since 2002, he has four titles and is currently the active head coach with the most wins at 191, potentially reaching 200 in 2024. Consistently reigning from the top, his recent trips to the final game have become a staple, playing the week of Thanksgiving. He’s led the Horsemen to the state championship game for the last three years in a row—2023 (won), 2022, and 2021.
Leroy Gonzales (Robertson): Fernandez’s rival, Leroy Gonzales, consistently reaches the final day in 3A football, making trips to the title game in 2023, 2021 (won), 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015. This rivalry is one we hope never ends, with both schools and coaches bringing everything to the game.
KINGS OF THE SOUTHEAST
Shaun Wigley (Gateway Christian): Now that Dickie Roybal has retired from Melrose HS, Shaun Wigley is the name in six/eight-man football. He has guided Gateway Christian to state championship games in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021 (won), 2022 (won), and 2023, making six trips in total.
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Jeremy Maupin (Artesia) and Jeff Lynn (Roswell): Down in the southeast corner of New Mexico, where football is king, Jeremy Maupin and Jeff Lynn are developing a rivalry that is fast becoming one of the best in New Mexico high school football. As Andy Bernard from "The Office" famously said, "I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them." Well, we are in the good old days of this football rivalry (again).
Jeremy Maupin has won the last two titles, #32 and #31 for Artesia, marking his first two championships. Remarkably, he's only been at Artesia for three years and has led the team to the state championship in all three seasons. Before his success at Artesia, Maupin guided Los Lunas to the title game in 2018 and 2019, where they faced none other than Jeff Lynn and Roswell. Maupin got his revenge in 2023 when Artesia, the 2-seed, defeated the 1-seed Roswell Coyotes, who finished 12-1, with a score of 35-21 in the state championship game.
Jeff Lynn has also had a stellar coaching career, winning state championships in 2019 and 2018. His rivalry with Maupin adds an exciting dynamic to the southeast New Mexico football scene, with both coaches pushing each other to new heights. Fans eagerly anticipate a part 2 of their showdown in 2024.
Stay tuned as we break down Tier II and Tier III coaches in upcoming articles.
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NMPreps.com publisher Joshua Grine can be reached at grinejosh@yahoo.com or by text at (505) 414-4313. Grine is a former coach and athletic director in New Mexico, dedicated to creating a platform for New Mexico high school athletics and promoting our athletes!
