Here Are 5 Latino NCAA Football Head Coaches To Watch As They Aim For Bowl Games

Coach David Aranda — AMES, IA - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Dave Aranda of the Baylor Bears coaches from the sidelines in the first half of play at Jack Trice Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Ames, Iowa. The Baylor Bears won 31-24 over the Iowa State Cyclones. Photo by David K Purdy/Getty Images

This group of Latino NCAA head coaches, ranging from second year head coach Andy Avalos to the well-traveled Mario Cristobal, are keeping their teams in the hunt for a bowl game, as we head into the tail end of the 2022 NCAA Football season.

Hispanics account for roughly 6 % of student athletes, and 2% of Athletic Directors and head coaches in college football, according to NCAA research. Here are the 5 Hispanic NCAA Football head coaches leading their schools to a possible bowl game.

Andy Avalos, Boise State University (Mexico)

Andy Avalos, in his second year as head coach, is nearing back-to-back winning seasons with the Boise State Broncos. The team is in first place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference. At 6-3 and bowl-eligible, the Broncos are undefeated in conference play.

David Aranda, Baylor (Mexico)

Baylor head coach David Aranda has missed the mark of defending the Bears' 2021 conference crown. The bowl-eligible Bears are second in the Big 12 with a 6-3 record, behind undefeated conference powerhouse Bowl Championship Series number four ranked TCU. Of Mexican parents, last season Aranda led the Bears to their third Big 12 championship, and then defeated Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.

Marcus Arroyo, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Mexico)

UNLV head coach Marcus Arroyo continues to battle for a winning season, the first for the Rebels since 2013. At 4-5, UNLV is fourth in the West Division of the Mountain West Conference.

The Colfax, California native, served as an assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at the University of Oregon, before joing the staff at UNLV. During his time in Eugene, the Ducks went 27-12 overall, and played an important role in the development of current Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.

Danny Gonzales, University of New Mexico (Mexico)

University of New Mexico third-year head coach Danny Gonzales' has yet to bring a winning record since becoming the play-caller for the Lobos. At 2-7 the team is ranked last in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference.

Gonzales was trending in the right direction with a 2-1 start to the 2022 season, before a six-game skid that started with a 38-0 loss to LSU derailed the Lobos chances of a bowl appearance.

Mario Cristobal, University of Miami (Cuba)

Mario Cristobal has had a mediocre start to his Miami Hurricanes Football head coaching career. At 4-5, the Hurricanes are fourth in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Considering he led the University of Oregon Ducks to an Alamodome Bowl appereance and finished last season at 10-3, the honeymoon seems to be over for the first Cuban-American head coach in NCAA Division I college football history, after a disappointing 45-3 loss to rival Florida State University on Saturday.