Stolz Decides New Mexico State Doesn’t Have Right Job for Him

Denny Stolz, former San Diego State football coach, said Friday he has withdrawn from consideration to fill the coaching vacancy at New Mexico State.

“Both professionally and financially, it was an attractive opportunity,” Stolz said. “But it just was not the right job for me now.”

Sources had said that Stolz was the leading candidate to succeed Mike Knoll, who was fired two weeks ago after an 0-11 season and a 4-40 record in four seasons.

Stolz and his wife, Cena, took a two-day visit to the New Mexico State campus in Las Cruces last week.

“We gave it a lot of thought,” Stolz said. “It was not an easy decision.”

Stolz, 55, said he would prefer to look for an opportunity in professional football but currently has no offers.

The late-afternoon announcement apparently caught New Mexico State officials by surprise.

Reached at his home Friday night, Athletic Director Al Gonzales, said: “I have no statement until I speak with him.”

Stolz was fired last year in his third year at SDSU. Stolz had a 16-19 record and led the Aztecs to the 1986 Western Athletic Conference title. He has remained at the school as the men’s golf coach.