New Mexico State loses their GM / assistant coach before start of fall camp

New Mexico State has moved on from one of the higher-profile names on Tony Sanchez's staff. 

David Cobb, who held the titles of assistant head coach, general manager and running backs coach, is no longer with the program.

According to a statement from the university, Cobb was placed on administrative leave before the start of fall camp and was let go after an internal review.

"Before the start of football camp, David Cobb was placed on administrative leave. Following the university's review process, Coach Cobb was separated from the program and the university," the school said. "Our athletics department remains committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, compliance, and professionalism. Out of respect for the process and university policy, we will have no further comment regarding this matter."

The Aggies did not provide a reason for the separation, and the school made clear it does not intend to say more at this time.

Cobb had built his role and reputation in Las Cruces from the ground up. He arrived ahead of the 2023 season as director of scouting and NFL liaison on Jerry Kill's staff, then stayed on through the transition to Sanchez and moved into an on-field job as running backs coach in 2024. Last January, Sanchez elevated him again, handing him the assistant head coach and general manager titles on top of his work with the backs. 

The timing of the move stings for a staff already coming off a tough year. New Mexico State finished a disappointing 4-8 overall and 2-6 in Conference USA in 2025, Sanchez's second season leading the program. Losing a coordinator-level voice and personnel lead this close to camp means Sanchez and his staff will be splitting up those duties on the fly.

For those who followed his playing days, Cobb's name will sound familiar. He was a standout back at Minnesota, where he broke Laurence Maroney's single-season school rushing record with 1,626 yards in 2014 and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. The Tennessee Titans took him in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft, and he spent time with the Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears before stops in the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the AAF with the San Antonio Commanders. He got into coaching at New Mexico State under Kill after his playing career wound down, working his way up in three years from a support staff role to one of the most important seats in the building.

Asked after practice today who will be working with the running backs this season with Cobb now gone, head coach Tony Sanchez said to expect an announcement on that next week.

The Aggies open the 2026 season in a few weeks. 

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