Sam Sanders
{{Short description|American gridiron football player and coach (born 1938)}}
{{for|the South African cyclist|Samantha Sanders}}
{{for|the American journalist and podcast host|Sam Sanders (journalist)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Sam Sanders
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1938|3|19}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1956–1959
| player_team1 = Buffalo
| player_years2 = 1960
| player_team2 = Buffalo Bills*
| player_positions = Linebacker
| coach_years1 = 1965–1967
| coach_team1 = Lehigh (DL)
| coach_years2 = 1968
| coach_team2 = Buffalo (DL)
| coach_years3 = 1969–1972
| coach_team3 = Northern Illinois (DC/RC)
| coach_years4 = 1973–1976
| coach_team4 = Lehigh (DC/RC)
| coach_years5 = 1977–1984
| coach_team5 = Alfred
| coach_years6 = 1985–1989
| coach_team6 = Toronto Argonauts (DL)
| coach_years7 = 1990–1991
| coach_team7 = Buffalo
| admin_years1 = {{Circa|1960s}}
| admin_team1 = Silver Creek HS (NY)
| overall_record = 54–42–2
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record = 0–1 (NCAA D-III playoffs)
| championships = 1 ICAC (1981)
| awards =
| coaching_records =
}}
Sam Sanders (born March 19, 1938) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Alfred University from 1977 to 1984{{cite news |title=Sam Sanders New Head Coach Of Alfred Football |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-sam-sanders-new-head-co/128671774/ |newspaper=The Buffalo News |location=Buffalo, New York |date=February 11, 1977 |page=37 |access-date=July 22, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} and at the University at Buffalo from 1990 to 1991,{{cite news |last=Gaughan |first=Mark |title=Sanders named UB football coach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-sanders-named-ub-footba/128671617/ |newspaper=The Buffalo News |location=Buffalo, New York |date=January 17, 1990 |page=37 |access-date=July 22, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} compiling a career college football record of 54–42–2.
Sanders played college football for Buffalo as a linebacker.{{Cite news |date=February 11, 1977 |title=New AU football coach: Sam Sanders |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/wellsville-daily-reporter-new-au-footbal/172212034/ |access-date=May 12, 2025 |work=Wellsville Daily Reporter |pages=10}} Upon graduating, he signed with the Buffalo Bills briefly before a knee injury forced him into retirement.
Sanders spent time as the athletic director for Silver Creek Central School District before being named the defensive line coach for Lehigh. In 1968, he returned to his alma mater, Buffalo, in the same capacity. In 1969, he was hired as the defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for Northern Illinois. He accepted the same positions for Lehigh in 1973.
Sanders was named as the successor to Alex Yunevich for Alfred in 1977.
Head coaching record
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Alfred Saxons
| conf = Independent College Athletic Conference
| startyear = 1977
| endyear = 1984
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1977
| name = Alfred
| overall = 4–5
| conference = 1–3
| confstanding = 5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1978
| name = Alfred
| overall = 5–4
| conference = 1–2
| confstanding = 3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1979
| name = Alfred
| overall = 7–2
| conference = 2–1
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1980
| name = Alfred
| overall = 7–2–1
| conference = 2–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1981
| name = Alfred
| overall = 10–1
| conference = 3–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division III Quarterfinal
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1982
| name = Alfred
| overall = 6–4
| conference = 2–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1983
| name = Alfred
| overall = 4–5–1
| conference = 0–2–1
| confstanding = 5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1984
| name = Alfred
| overall = 6–4
| conference = 2–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Alfred
| overall = 49–27–2
| confrecord = 13–11–1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Buffalo Bulls
| conf = NCAA Division III independent
| startyear = 1990
| endyear = 1991
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1990
| name = Buffalo
| overall = 2–8
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1991
| name = Buffalo
| overall = 3–7
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Buffalo
| overall = 5–15
| confrecord =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 54–42–2
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Alfred Saxons football coach navbox}}
{{Buffalo Bulls football coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanders, Sam}}
Category:Alfred Saxons football coaches
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Buffalo Bills players
Category:Buffalo Bulls football coaches
Category:Buffalo Bulls football players
Category:Lehigh Mountain Hawks football coaches
Category:Northern Illinois Huskies football coaches
Category:Toronto Argonauts coaches
Category:High school athletic directors in the United States
{{1960s-collegefootball-coach-stub}}