CONWAY – Coastal Carolina head coach Joe Moglia has named Marvin Sanders the Chanticleer’s defensive coordinator.
Sanders was on staff with Coach Moglia at Nebraska and was hired by Moglia with the Omaha Nighthawks. Sanders was defensive coordinator at North Carolina for three seasons (2004-06) and brings a total of 23 years of collegiate coaching experience to the Chanticleer program.
“I have known Marvin since 2009 and have seen first-hand his impact on the type of defense we are striving for here at Coastal,” Moglia said.” He is a believer in everything our program stands for – BAM (Be A Man), LAF (Life After Football) and our mission to put a team on the field that all of which Coastal Carolina will be proud.”
After working with Moglia at the Nighthawks, Sanders was hired as defensive coordinator at Florida Atlantic in December of 2011. However, he left that post in February of 2012 to be the defensive backs coach at Southern California. In his one year with the Trojans, USC ranked ninth in the NCAA in both interceptions (19) and turnovers gained (32) while jumping 20 spots to 41st nationally in pass efficiency defense.
Sanders went on to be the head football coach at Los Angeles’ Loyola High School (2013-16).
At Nebraska, Sanders helped the Cornhuskers rank among the nation’s best defenses in his four total seasons (2003; 2008-10) as the secondary coach – the final two as the assistant head coach on defense. The Huskers led the nation in pass efficiency twice (2003 and 2008) while ranking third in 2010. Nebraska’s 32 interceptions in 2003 – thanks to an NCAA-best 10 by Josh Bullocks that season – ranks among the NCAA all-time top five.
Also during his time at Nebraska, the defense ranked among the NCAA top 20 in scoring defense (first in 2009, second in 2003 and ninth in 2010), fewest passing yards allowed (fifth in 2010, 11th in 2003 and 18th in 2009), passes intercepted (first in 2003, seventh in 2009 and 11th in 2010) and total defense (seventh in 2008, 11th in both 2003 and 2010).
Bullocks became just the second NU sophomore to earn All-America honors and he ended 2003 as a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. Cornerback Prince Amukamara was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in 2009 as he garnered first team All-America honors.
Between stints at Nebraska, Sanders was at North Carolina (2004-06) and was initially hired as co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach before being elevated to defensive coordinator for years two and three with the Tar Heels. After a 2-10 season and the UNC defense ranking in the 100’s for most defensive categories prior to Sanders’ arrival, North Carolina improved to 6-6 in 2004. Then in his first year as defensive coordinator, the Tar Heels climbed to 42nd nationally in total defense in 2005 while ranking 48th in pass defense in 2006.
Sanders served as the secondary coach at Colorado State for two seasons (2001-02). The Rams posted a 17-9 record during Sanders’ two seasons in Fort Collins, including winning the 2002 Mountain West title and earning a pair of bowl trips.
Other coaching stops included one season as defensive ends/outside linebackers coach at New Mexico State (2000), five seasons at Nebraska-Omaha (1995-99, including the final three as defensive coordinator), one season as defensive backs coach at Minnesota-Morris (1994) and two seasons at defensive backs coach at Nebraska Wesleyan (1992-93).
A native of Chicago, Ill., Sanders received his Bachelor’s in business administration at Nebraska in 1990. During his four-years playing for Tom Osborne and the Cornhuskers, Nebraska played in four bowls, including the Sugar Bowl, 1987 and ’89 Fiesta Bowls and 1988 Orange Bowl. Sanders earned honorable mention All-Big Eight honors his senior season.
He and his wife, Susan, have a daughter, Chandler Marie, and a son, Payton.The Sanders File
1992-93 Nebraska Wesleyan (Defensive Backs)
1994 Minnesota-Morris (Defensive Backs)
1995-96; ‘97-99 Nebraska-Omaha (Secondary; Defensive Coordinator)
2000 New Mexico State (Defensive Ends/Outside Linebackers)
2001-02 Colorado State (Defensive Backs)
2003 Nebraska (Defensive Backs)
2004-06 North Carolina (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
2008-10 Nebraska (Defensive Backs)
2011 Omaha Nighthawks
2011 FAU (Defensive Coordinator)
2012 USC (Defensive Backs)
2013-16 Loyola High School (Head Coach)
2017-present Coastal Carolina (Defensive Coordinator)