Football
- Title:
- Assistant Coach (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers)
- Phone:
- 325-2534
- Position(s):
- Co-Offensive Coordinator/Passing Game/Wide Receivers
Season at MSU: 5th
Twitter: @CoachBillyG
Records have fallen under the leadership of Billy Gonzales, who enters his fifth season on Dan Mullen’s staff in charge of wide receivers. Gonzales also begins his fourth year as co-offensive coordinator overseeing the passing game.
Having coached nine combined seasons at Bowling Green, Utah and Florida with Mullen, Gonzales arrived in Starkville with 20 years of college coaching experience and an offensive mindset nearly identical to his boss. Gonzales’ resume gleams greatness as he’s coached in three BCS National Championship games with Florida and LSU during a six-year span.
The results have been impressive as the 46-year-old has produced arguably the greatest four-year wide receiver stretch in Mississippi State history. The Bulldogs have recorded 18 100-yard receiving games in the last four seasons, including a school record seven in 2015. Five times in his tenure MSU has accounted for multiple 100-yard receiving games in the same contest, something that had only been done five times in program history prior to his arrival.
In addition, the three highest team single-season receiving yard totals have all occurred on Gonzales’ watch. Every individual single-season school receiving record has been broken under Gonzales. The Bulldogs shattered the school record for total receiving yards for a third straight year in 2015 with 4,113. With a young starting quarterback in 2016, they managed to put up the fifth-highest passing total in school history with 2,726 yards.
Gonzales’ protégé, Fred Ross, could arguably go down as the greatest receiver in MSU history. Ross shattered six school records, including career marks for receptions (199), receiving yards (2,528), 100-yard receiving games (10) and consecutive games with a reception (35). Ross also became the first receiver in school history to earn first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors in back-to-back seasons.
Despite being a run-oriented offense for most of 2016, Ross still managed to top the SEC in receiving touchdowns (12), and he ranked second in catches (72) and first in 10+ yard catches (38). Ross’ 199 catches ranked ninth in SEC career history. He became another of a long-line of Gonzales receivers to reach the NFL when the Carolina Panthers signed him in April 2017.
In 2015, Ross became the first MSU wideout to be selected first-team All-SEC since all-time great Eric Moulds did so in 1995. Fellow junior De’Runnya Wilson earned a spot on the second-team All-SEC.
That fall Ross obliterated the school record for catches in a season with 88, a mark that also ranked seventh in SEC single-season annals. Ross also became the second 1,000-yard receiver in school history and became the first Bulldog to lead the SEC in receptions per game (6.8) since 1978. His five 100-yard receiving games were a school record. No one was better in the difficult month of November as Ross caught a nation-leading 41 passes. Wilson, meanwhile, finished his career second in MSU touchdown catches with 22.
In his first season as co-offensive coordinator in 2014, Gonzales was an instrumental part of an offense that broke 15 MSU single-season team records, including total offensive yards (6,679), yards per play (6.7), per game offense (513.8 ypg), points (480), offensive touchdowns (60), receiving yards (3,649) and receiving touchdowns (31).
Part of the Bulldogs’ 2014 success was demonstrated by Gonzales’ development of depth at wide receiver. MSU led the nation in number of players with a receiving touchdown on the year (12), while 16 different players caught multiple passes. Wilson became a household name with 680 receiving yards and a nation-leading five touchdowns on third down.
MSU produced three 100-yard receivers in the same game for the first time when Joe Morrow (6/117), Wilson (9/105) and Ross (6/102) achieved the feat in the Orange Bowl. It was the Bulldogs’ first appearance in the game in 73 years, capping a season that saw the program reach No. 1 for the first time in school history.
Gonzales made an immediate impact in his first season in 2013 with the Bulldogs as junior wideout Jameon Lewis developed into one of the SEC’s elite slot receivers. Lewis ranked sixth in the SEC in receiving yards per game (71.0). He capped the year with an MSU single-game school-record 220 receiving yards in an AutoZone Liberty Bowl victory over Rice.
Gonzales arrived in Starkville following a one-year stint as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Illinois. Prior to coaching the Fighting Illini, Gonzales served as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at LSU. During his time in Baton Rouge, Gonzales helped the Tigers to the 2012 BCS National Championship game and the 2011 SEC Championship. His development of Odell Beckham Jr. and Reuben Randle were apparent during the Tigers’ season, as he led them to Freshman All-SEC and first-team All-SEC accolades respectively. Beckham is now one of the NFL’s elites.
Prior to his stint at LSU, Gonzales coached beside Mullen under Urban Meyer at Florida. During his time as wide receivers coach, the Gators’ high-octane offense translated to two BCS national championships in 2006 and 2008.
At Florida, Gonzales saw seven players drafted under his command, with his crown jewel being a first-round selection of Percy Harvin in 2009. In addition, Gonzales produced seven All-SEC wide receivers in his five seasons.
During his two seasons at Utah as wide receivers coach and co-special teams coordinator, Gonzales saw the Utes to a 22-2 record and two bowl wins, including a 35-7 thrashing of Pittsburgh in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl. The Utes’ offense averaged 499.8 yards and 45.3 points per game, each ranking third in the country in their respective categories. Under Gonzales’ watch, three Utah receivers were first-team All-Mountain West: tight end Ben Moa (2003), wide receiver Paris Warren (2003) and wide receiver Steve Savoy (2004).
As a special teams guru, Gonzales led Utah to 28.2 yards per kickoff return in 2003, which was good enough for the nation’s lead. Utah was also third in the country in net punting yard (40.8) and fifth in kickoff returns during the 2004 season (26.2).
Gonzales spent the 2001 and 2002 seasons at Bowling Green, serving as wide receivers coach and co-recruiting coordinator. The Falcons were 17-6 in his two years at the school and in 2002, Bowling Green was third in the country in scoring averaging 48 points per game. The Falcon offense also averaged 448.9 yards per game during the 2002 season, ranking ninth in the country. Under Gonzales’ direction, wide receiver Robert Redd was an All-MAC selection during the coaches’ two years at the school and became the school’s all-time leader in receptions.
Gonzales got his first full-time coaching position in Division I in 1997 when he accepted a job at Kent State. During his four-year coaching stint with the Golden Flashes, he coached running backs for his opening season followed by three years as the wide receivers coach. As running backs coach, he led Astron Whatley to three All-MAC selections. As wide receivers coach, Gonzales tutored Eugene Baker to a third-team All-America selection as he became the school’s all-time leading receiver.
Prior to a full-time coaching job with the Golden Flashes, Gonzales spent two years as a graduate assistant at the school from 1995-96. He earned his master’s degree from Kent State in sports administration.
Gonzales broke into the coaching profession in 1994 at MacMurray (Ill.) as wide receivers coach.
A four-year letterwinner at Colorado State including two years as starting wide receiver, Gonzales helped the Rams to a 9-4 record during the 1990 season and a win over Oregon in the Freedom Bowl.
Gonzales and his wife, Julie, have two children, Cole and Caylynn.
Coaching Experience
2014-present: Mississippi State (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Passing Game/Wide Receivers)
2013: Mississippi State (Wide Receivers)
2012: Illinois (Wide Receivers / Co-Offensive Coordinator)
2010-11: LSU (Passing Game Coordinator / Wide Receivers)
2008-09: Florida (Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator)
2005-07: Florida (Wide Receivers)
2003-04: Utah (Wide Receivers/Special Teams Coordinator)
2001-02: Bowling Green (Wide Receivers
1995-2001: Kent State (Wide Receivers; Running Backs)
1994: MacMurray (Wide Receivers)
Bowl Games as a Coach
2016: St. Petersburg Bowl (MSU)
2015: Belk Bowl (MSU)
2014: Orange Bowl (MSU)
2013: Liberty Bowl (MSU)
2012: BCS National Championship (LSU)
2011: Cotton Bowl (LSU)
2010: Capital One Bowl (Florida)
2009: BCS National Championship Game (Florida)
2008: Capital One Bowl (Florida)
2007: BCS National Championship Game (Florida)
2006: Outback Bowl (Florida)
2005: Fiesta Bowl (Utah)
2003: Liberty Bowl (Utah)
Personal Information
Birthdate: July 18, 1971
Hometown: Thornton, Colo.
Education: 1994 – Bachelor’s from Colorado State
1996- Master’s from Kent State
Wife: Julie
Children: Cole and Caylynn
