Marvin Sanders Season 1987

Honors & Awards

Honorable-Mention All-Big Eight (Coaches, 1989)

1989 (Senior)
Marvin Sanders made big plays while appearing in nine games, including the first seven as a starter for the Big Red as a senior, before Tyrone Byrd took over the starting role at safety down the stretch. Sanders hauled in two interceptions and forced two fumbles while recording 26 tackles (15 solos) on the year. His first interception came with an 18-yard return in NU’s season-opening win over Northern Illinois, while his second came in a win over Kansas in November. He also had seven tackles against the Jayhawks. He added a fumble recovery, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry for a group of Blackshirts that ranked eighth nationally in total defense (274.1 ypg). In the 1990 Sunkist Fiesta Bowl against Florida State, Sims recorded three tackles, including two unassisted stops.

A three-time letterwinner, Sims played 27 regular-season games with seven starts, finishing with 49 total tackles (28 solos), including two TFLs for seven yards lost. He had three career pass breakups.

1988 (Junior)
Sanders switched from cornerback to free safety and played in each of the first 10 games as a reserve behind Tim Jackson and Academic All-American Mark Blazek. Sanders closed the season with 18 tackles (10 solos), including one tackle for a six-yard loss. Sanders added a pair of pass breakups. He notched a season high with five tackles at Kansas State. Sanders helped Nebraska to the Big Eight championship and an appearance in the 1989 Orange Bowl against Miami.

1987 (Sophomore)
Sanders earned his first varsity letter as an alternate at right cornerback behind Charles Fryar. Sanders played eight games and recorded five tackles.

1986 (Redshirt)
Sanders redshirted in his second season at Nebraska.

1985 (Freshman)
Sanders started at left corner for Coach Dan Young’s freshman team that finished 5-0 on the season. Sanders was the team’s third-leading tackler with 21 stops, including 15 solos. He also broke up two passes and blocked one kick.

Thornwood High School
Sanders was a two-way threat for Coach Robert Jackson at Thornwood High School in suburban Chicago. Sanders caught 13 passes for 468 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior wide receiver. He also led all Illinois high school players with nine interceptions as a junior in 1983. He earned a total of 11 high school letters, including four in football, three in basketball and two each in track and baseball.

Personal
The son of Eugene and Inetta Sanders, Marvin has two brothers and three sisters. He was born in Chicago. He earned his bachelor’s degree as a business administration major from Nebraska in 1990. Sanders was a long-time college assistant coach beginning with stints at Nebraska Wesleyan, Minnesota-Morris and Nebraska-Omaha, before coaching at New Mexico State and Colorado State. He was an assistant at Nebraska under Frank Solich in 2003, before heading to North Carolina (2004-06). He returned to Nebraska (2008-10) under Coach Bo Pelini. Sanders added stops at Florida Atlantic, Southern California and Coastal Carolina. Most recently, Sanders helped the XFL’s Arlington Renegades to the league championship in 2023.