Cory Sanders Promoted as Pitt's Defensive Coordinator
Cory Sanders continues his accension within the Pitt football program.
One year after being promoted to assistant head coach, Sanders receives another promotion as he’ll now be in charge of the Pitt defense.
This morning, a Pitt spokesperson confirmed the report from On3 Sports Pete Nakos that Sanders will be named Pitt’s new defensive coordinator. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report.
“Cory has earned this opportunity every step of the way,” Narduzzi said in a press release. “From the time he joined our staff, he’s consistently shown leadership and football intelligence, but more importantly, he has a deep understanding of our team and how all the pieces fit together on and off the field. He’s earned the respect of everyone in this building, and I have complete confidence in him leading our defense as we begin this next chapter of Pitt Football.”
“I’m incredibly grateful to Coach Narduzzi and the University of Pittsburgh for the trust that’s been placed in me,” Sanders said in a press release. “I also owe a thank you to all the mentors and coaches who helped me get to this point, especially Coach Randy Bates. He and Coach Narduzzi believed in me and hired me eight years ago, and I’ve learned so much from them. Their leadership and trust helped put me in this position today.
“Pitt has been home for a long time and has meant a great deal to me and my family since the day we arrived,” he added. “I’m fired up to continue building on the defensive foundation that’s been established here. We’ll remain aggressive and put a defense on the field that plays fast, relentless and physical.”
The 40-year-old Sanders just completed his 8th season with the Panthers football program, assisting Archie Collins in the secondary and working primarily with the safeties.
Prior to being hired at Pitt, Sanders was the defensive backs coach at Western Michigan.
Although this will become his first defensive coordinators spot in Division I, Sanders did hold that title with West Florida in 2015-16 and Saint Joseph’s (Ind.) in 2010.
The job that both Sanders and Collins have done with the Pitt secondary over the years of developing players and getting them to the NFL has been well chronicled. Damar Hamlin, Erick Hallett, Donovan McMillon, Brandon Hill are the most recent examples of underpublicized players still on an NFL roster.
Once the news broke of Bates retiring, Sanders and Manalac immediately became the odds-on favorites to take over as defensive coordinator. In the end, Narduzzi went with Sanders, as evidenced by Manalac’s departure to UConn.
This was an important keep for Pitt as Sanders has all the qualities and characteristics to eventually become a college head coach.
At this point, it is unclear if Sanders remains as the safeties coach. Pitt will be in store for a new linebackers coach, special teams coordinator and tight ends coach.
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