Former University of Northern Iowa quarterback Eric Sanders embodied efficiency during his four seasons competing in purple and gold. As a starter, he led the Panthers to a 35-9 record. Twelve of those victories came via fourth-quarter or overtime comeback. He set the Football Championship Subdivision record for career completion percentage (69.59 percent). He threw just one interception in his last 139 pass attempts. In his final season (2007), he captained his team to a 12-0 regular season record and a No. 1 national ranking.
Sanders will once again grace the Panther sideline this season, hoping to bring some of that efficiency back to a program that is coming off a disappointing year. But instead of suiting up in helmet and shoulder pads, he will be adorning a polo and khaki pants. The 2007 Walter Payton Award runner-up was hired onto the UNI football coaching staff this summer as an offense assistant after spending two years coaching at Syracuse University.
Sanders was a graduate assistant at Syracuse, taking six hours of graduate courses each semester while instructing quarterbacks and compiling scouting reports for the Orange.
Coaching was nothing new to Sanders, even during his time as a student-athlete at UNI. He coached eighth and ninth grade baseball in his hometown of Oelwein, Iowa.
“When I decided to play football, I had coaching in mind as soon as I was done playing, whenever that was,” said Sanders.
Sanders attempted to join National Football League squads like the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills following his playing years at UNI, but failed to make a roster.
“I could have gone to the (Canadian Football League) or Arena Football League after that, but I didn’t want to try that out. The opportunity at Syracuse came about, and I just took it,” Sanders said.
Sanders joined former UNI teammate Curt Bradley at Syracuse, who was also hired as a graduate assistant three months prior to help with the Orange defense.
“Curt Bradley was the one who hooked me up out there at Syracuse… A job opened up the summer of 2008, and he gave the head coach my resume,” said Sanders.
During his two seasons at Syracuse, Sanders worked under two different head coaches and learned new offensive philosophies as a result. Now, he returns to help coach a West Coast style offense that became second nature to him at UNI.
“I’m a young guy, yet I know the system pretty well. I can relate to the players kind of in a different way than maybe some of the other coaches can,” Sanders said.
“(Sanders) will bring an attitude of what it takes to win at UNI,” said head coach Mark Farley.
Sanders’ official title with the team is Assistant Wide Receivers Coach. He works under another new hire for Panther football, Dedric Ward. Ward is also a UNI alumnus and Panther football legend. In the mid 1990s, Ward set both school and conference records for career receiving yards (3,876) and touchdown receptions (41). His records still stand. Following his time at UNI, Ward went on to play eight seasons in the NFL.
“He’s a great coach and a great person, so I’m just trying to learn as much as I can from him,” said Sanders.
Sanders, Ward and the 2010 UNI Panthers will make their debut Sept. 11 at the UNI-Dome against North Dakota State University.
Look for The Northern Iowan’s season preview for 2010 UNI Panther football in the Friday, Sept. 10 issue.
