University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Eric Sanders: The King of Comebacks
11/30/2007 7:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 30, 2007
If you want to find University of Northern Iowa senior Eric Sanders after a Panther football game, just follow the mass of young Panther fans flocking to UNI's star quarterback.
Sanders spends his postgame celebration not high-fiving teammates and friends, but signing posters, shirts and programs for the young Panther fans that idolize him and proclaim he's the best quarterback ever or their favorite Panther by far.
But that's just who Eric Sanders is. Growing up idolizing fellow quarterback Steve Young, Sanders enjoys young fans. He smiles, taking in the compliments and listening to each one of the kids, pushing aside requests from media for interviews. After all, being praised as a hero from children is much more rewarding than facing reporters with questions on why the offense seemed sluggish or bringing up bad passes and interceptions.
Sanders is no stranger to working with children; he spent his summers as a eighth and ninth grade baseball coach at his alma mater, Oelwein High School.
"That was a fun time and a great summer job," Sanders said. "I enjoyed working with the kids."
But Sanders life isn't all about pleasing his young fans. When he isn't leading the Panther football team to another dramatic fourth-quarter comeback he finds time to play the video game Halo with the Panther receivers.
"I love playing Halo with the receivers," Sanders said. "We've got a pretty cool set up and it helps to be around the guys off the field."
Before becoming a fan favorite at UNI, Sanders had to try and figure out just what collegiate sport he wanted to play. The standout athlete for the Huskies could have found a college career in just about anything; football, basketball, baseball and even golf. But an exciting senior year in football led Sanders to start thinking about a career on the gridiron.
"We had a pretty good season my senior year, going 10-1 and losing in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs," Sanders said. "The fun I had that year led me to want to continue my football career."
Sanders traveled the 40 miles from Oelwein to Cedar Falls, walked on to the UNI squad and continued his winning ways. In Sanders' four-year career as starting quarterback for the Panthers, he has led them to an impressive 35-8 record as a starter and has directed 12 fourth-quarter or overtime comeback victories.
Although Sanders found himself as the starting quarterback in his freshman campaign he finds it hard to believe that is career has been so successful.
"It's kind of crazy," Sanders said. "Out of high school I was hoping to just get to play, but this has been great."
After amassing more than 30 victories as a Panther, the conference and national accolades started rolling in along with the wins. Sanders is one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Award which is given to the nation's best Football Championship Series offensive player and was named the 2007 Gateway Offensive Player of the Year. He was named 2004 Gateway Freshman of the Year and earned second team All-Gateway honors in 2005 and 2006. He was also named second team All-American by CollegeSportsReport.com in 2005.
While Sanders is the current hero for the children of Panther Nation, he hopes that he can finish out his senior year with a lot of good memories and earn a second chance at winning the national title.
"I just want to finish out the season on a good note," Sanders said. "Win out in the regular season, make a good run in the playoffs and make it back to the national championship game."
