Cory Sanders, who arrived at Pitt in 2018 owning both head coach and defensive coordinator experience, enters his third season overseeing the Panthers’ safeties.
As the defensive backs coach at Western Michigan in 2017, Sanders oversaw the development of two All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) cornerbacks, Darius Phillips and Sam Beal. Phillips, who played in the prestigious Senior Bowl, was a rookie for the Cincinnati Bengals last year, while Beal was a member of the New York Giants.
Prior to WMU, Sanders was part of shaping an NCAA Division II program at the University of West Florida, which played its inaugural season in 2016. He was named the program’s first defensive coordinator in December 2014 and was instrumental in building a foundation for the Argonauts’ opening campaign 18 months later.