JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Jan. 11, 2019) -- The East Tennessee State University Athletics Department announced on Friday that Buccaneer football head coach Randy Sanders has been signed through the 2023 season.

“I want to thank Scott Carter and Dr. Brian Noland for their commitment to me and our program,” said Sanders. “I am excited to build off last season’s success and continue taking this program to new heights. I appreciate the support from the university, community, administration and players, and we are ready to see what the future holds.”

With the Bucs coming off their historic season in 2018, ETSU Director of Athletics Scott Carter said he is looking forward to working with Coach Sanders in the years ahead.

“ETSU football made history this year under the direction of head coach Randy Sanders and I could not be more proud of our Buccaneer football program,” said Carter. “Excitement around ETSU football is at an all-time high due to the leadership of Coach Sanders. I look forward to working with him for many years in the future as we build on the outstanding tradition of ETSU football.

Sanders earned Southern Conference Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Bucs to a historic 2018 campaign. In his first season with the Bucs, Sanders led ETSU to eight wins, a share of the SoCon Championship and a trip to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs. The eight wins were the most by a first-year Buccaneer head coach and the third-most in program history, while it was also the second time the Blue and Gold advanced to the playoffs. Also, the Bucs finished the 2018 season ranked No. 21 in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Poll.

Sanders was a finalist for the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award. Under Sanders’ watch, 13 players received all-SoCon honors, while also earning 19 All-American accolades in 2018.

Fans wanting to learn more about season ticket information can do so by calling the Buccaneer ticket office at 423-439-3878 or by visiting ETSUBucs.com. The 2019 Buccaneer football schedule will be released in the near future.

For more information on Buccaneer men’s football, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the football link.