New Mexico Highlands University Men's Football

2025 marks the second season in Las Vegas for Kurt Taufa'asau as he was named the head football coach at New Mexico Highlands University on May 29, 2024. His first win at NMHU came on October 12, 2024, when he led the Cowboys to a thrilling 33-30 win over Chadron State in front of a Homecoming crowd at Sanchez Family Stadium.   Taufa'asau came to NMHU from New Mexico Military Institute where he led the Bronco football program for three seasons and compiled a 27-10 overall record and a 15-6 mark in the SWJCFC. Under his leadership, NMMI went 12-1 and won the NJCAA Division I national championship in 2021. A native of Pago Pago, American Samoa, Taufa'asau began his collegiate playing career at New Mexico Military Institute earning first team All-Western States Football League honors as a defensive lineman in 2009. He then played at the University of Wyoming in 2011 and 2012. After earning his degree in Sociology at Wyoming, Taufa'asau spent time with the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, and Indianapolis Colts. Taufa'asau began his coaching career as the defensive line coach at Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs, Utah in 2015. He returned to NMMI in 2016 to fill the same position. In 2019, he was promoted to Assistant Head Coach in addition to his defensive line duties. During that season, the Broncos made the SWJCFC championship game for the first time after just four seasons in the league. Taufa'asau is married to Shanice and the couple have two sons, King and Zion and a daughter, Larei. What They Are Saying About Coach Taufa'asau: "Coach Kurt is a home run hire for New Mexico Highlands.  He has a proven track record of being able to recruit and develop talent at a high level.  During his time at NMMI he elevated that program to a championship level and I have no doubt he'll do the same at Highlands.  Kurt is a tremendous coach but an even better man and I'm excited to watch what he'll do with his opportunity."              - Andrew Mitchell,  Offensive Line Coach Oklahoma State University  "Very excited about for the New Mexico Highlands football family and also for Kurt & Shanice. Coach Taufa'asau is a man of character and a proven winner. His success comes from his authentic relationships with his players, along with developing them in a way that qualifies them for championship level competition. I have seen this in his program firsthand and it is clear why his players run through walls for him, and win. The success NMHU football will see, will not be a surprise to me. It is inevitable."         - Famika Anae, Offensive Line Coach University of California "Coach Kurt taught me life lessons and I remember him telling us at NMMI, 'If you want it that bad you will go out and get it. Nothing in life comes easy.' Without Coach Kurt I wouldn't be on this journey."         - Diego Pavia, Former New Mexico State and current Vanderbilt quarterback

Played QB at New Mexico Military 2020 - 2021 Played QB at New Mexico Highlands 2022 -2023 Current RBs and TEs Coach at New Mexico Highlands 2024 - Current

Drew Thatcher comes to New Mexico Highlands after spending the 2023 season at West Point where he was the Offensive Coordinator.  Under Thatcher's guidance, Army Quarterback Bryson Daily became only the second Army QB ever to rush and pass for over 900 yards in a season.  The Black Knights defeated Air Force and Navy in 2023 with Thatcher as the Offensive Coordinator to retain the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.   Thatcher was the Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach at University of Nebraska-Keraney from 2019 to 2022.  Under his guidance, UNK quarterback TJ Davis repeated as the MIAA Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 as he had 2,506 combined yards over 11 games. The Lopers finished with an 8-3 record and averaged 33 points and 402 yards per game. UNK scored 80% of the time it reached the red zone, converted 11 of 14 fourth downs. In 2021, Thatcher helped lead UNK to a 10-3 record and a trip to the Division II playoffs. UNK averaged 34 points and 450 yards per game and was again one of the top rushing teams in NCAA Division II. In 2019 UNK set new school team records for rushing yards (4,115) and rushing touchdowns (45) for a single season. The Lopers went 7-5 and won the Mineral Water Bowl, the program's fourth-ever postseason victory. Davis was tabbed as the MIAA's Freshman of the Year after rushing for 1,034 yards and 16 scores. Senior back David Goodwin (1,043) also went over 1,000 yards, marking the first time in UNK's history it had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season.  Prior to Nebraska-Kearney, Thatcher spent seven seasons (2012-18) at New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI). He coached the wide receivers and H-Backs (2012) for one season before taking over as the offensive coordinator in 2013. In 2013 Thatcher helped NMMI go 8-4 and win the El Toro Bowl. It was Broncos first postseason win since 1999 and marked a second straight winning season. Thatcher helped develop QB Jordan Ta'amu before he headed to Ole Miss. Ta'amu started 17 games for Ole Miss, spent time in the XFL and signed a free agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs in the summer of 2020.    A native of Truth or Consequences, NM, Thatcher earned a Bachelor's in Kinesiology and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico State University. He was also a graduate assistant coach, working with the Aggies offense from 2009-2011. He was a wide receiver for the Aggies from 2004-2008, playing four seasons under legendary "Air Raid" architect Hal Mumme. 

Robert Rodriguez comes to NMHU for the 2024 season after a successful career at New Mexico Military Institute.  Rodriguez was on the NMMI coaching staff from 2016 to 2023.  As the run game coordinator during the 2021 season, the Broncos led NJCAA Division I with 3,746 rushing yards. The offense ranked second in the nation with 5,625 total yards while leading the country in scoring with 526 points. Prior to NMMI, Rodriguez served as a grad assistant at NMSU in 2011 before moving on to Western New Mexico, where he served as tight ends coach for two seasons and offensive line coach for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. A native of Artesia, NM, Rodriguez helped Artesia to state championships in 2003 and 2004.  He then played his college football at Pima Community College, starting for two seasons before graduating in 2006 and transferring to Emporia State for the 2009 season and then New Mexico State, where he played in 2010 as a senior. Rodriguez and his wife Sara, have a daughter, Morrene. His brother, Jourdan, is the defensive coordinator at Artesia High.

Gage Guardiola is from Ruidoso, New Mexico, where he grew up playing football and baseball. He went on to play quarterback and pitcher at New Mexico Highlands University during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Before NMHU, he played quarterback at New Mexico Military Institute and was part of the 2021 National Championship team. After his playing career, Gage began coaching at NMHU, where he helped guide Tevita Valeti to RMAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2024. Gage is married to his wife, Deanna, and together they have a daughter, Brylie.  

Mason Myers is in his first season as a wide receivers coach with New Mexico Highlands University football. A native of Olathe, Kansas, Myers brings both playing and coaching experience to the Cowboy program. He began his collegiate playing career as a quarterback at New Mexico Military Institute under Coach Kurt Taufa'asau during the team’s national championship season before finishing his career at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. Myers earned his bachelor’s degree in Health and Sports Science with a minor in Sports Psychology from Northwestern Oklahoma State, where he also began his coaching career with the wide receivers. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree while continuing to develop as a coach at New Mexico Highlands.