Sanders promoted to assistant head coach
Pitt assistant coach Cory Sanders has been with the program since the start of the 2018 season. During that time, Pitt has enjoyed tremendous success with its secondary, specifically at the safety position. Sanders, who is responsible for guiding the safeties, is one of the best in the country at what he does, and because of that, he is being promoted by Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi.
Pete Thames of ESPN reported that Sanders will be promoted with the title of Assistant Head Coach, a position previously held by Charlie Partridge who left the Pitt’s program this offseason to take a job with the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL. Sanders, along with defensive coordinator Randy Bates and cornerbacks coach Archie Collins are now all entering their seventh season on Narduzzi’s staff, making them tied as the longest tenured coaches on the staff.
"I am incredibly grateful to Coach Narduzzi for giving me the opportunity to make an even greater impact for Pitt football," Sanders said in a release. "The University of Pittsburgh is a tremendous place and it has been such an honor to work on behalf of the Pitt football program the past six years. I truly believe our best is yet to come and I'm excited to work with our coaches and players to bring another ACC championship trophy back to Pitt."
Sanders has been instrumental in Pitt’s development on the defensive side of the ball. The Panthers have had seven defensive backs drafted since his arrival prior to the 2018 season. Damar Hamlin and Paris Ford provided an impressive safety duo in the 2019 season, and were replaced by Erick Hallett and Brandon Hill, two players who started for Pitt’s ACC Championship team and went on to be drafted to the NFL.
"From the day we hired Cory back in 2018, he has been an outstanding resource for our entire program," Narduzzi said of Sanders' promotion in a release by the school. "This promotion reflects the deep impact he already makes on our players, coaches and staff. Cory is an excellent teacher and mentor who makes everyone around him better. He sees the larger picture in everything we do. Everyone in our building will benefit from his expanded role with our program."
That pipeline continue to today. The safety position is one of the most experience and talented groups on the roster for this upcoming season. Donovan McMillon is arguably the best player on the team, and was recently named a preseason All-ACC first team selection by Phil Steele. Pitt also boasts returning starters Javon McIntyre and PJ O'Brien and features two promising players like Jesse Anderson and Cruce Brookins, making it one of the deepest spots on the team as well.
Sanders arrived at Pitt with only one year of experience coaching at the Division-1 level, a one-year stop at Western Michigan, but he has quickly asserted himself as one of the most instrumental members of the staff. Sanders coaches on game days in the booth alongside Bates, and it would not be a stretch to see him taking on a coordinator job at some point during his career. The title likely increases his salary, brings on more responsibly, and adds some insurance that he will remain with the program longer.