Cory Sanders, a former NCAA Division II head coach who also has past defensive coordinator experience and ranks among Pittsburgh's most-tenured assistant coaches, has been promoted.
Sanders, a former two-time FootballScoop Minority Rising Star selection, has been named as assistant head coach to Panthers veteran leader Pat Narduzzi.
It's a bit of a full-circle moment for Sanders, who has been widely targeted by other programs in the past three years and previously was a four-year head coach at Saint Joseph's College (Indiana), where he spent a total of five seasons on staff at his alma mater.
Among the former youngest head coaches in NCAA history, Sanders helped mentor three-dozen all-conference selections during his time at Saint Joseph, where he worked with a number of prominent coaches still active in today's landscape -- including Michigan defensive assistant Lou Esposito, current NFL offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, presently with the L.A. Rams, as well as current FCS offensive coordinator Jason Phillips of Norfolk State, among others.
With additional time at West Florida and Western Michigan prior to arriving at Pittsburgh, Sanders has tutored numerous NFL pupils -- perhaps most notably the Buffalo Bills's Damar Hamlin.
Arguably more important, the Panthers return all three safeties in the back-end of Sanders' group in an integral year for Pitt football.
The Panthers open their 2024 slate hosting Kent State before key rivalry tilts -- at Cincinnati and home against West Virginia on Aug. 31 and Sept. 7, respectively.
After a money-game against FCS program Youngstown State, Pitt initiates ACC play following an open date Oct. at Mack Brown's North Carolina program.