Quinn Sanders is entering his second season with the Huskies after being hired in January 2025. The Florida native is serving as the Co-Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers coach for the 2026 campaign. Sanders directed a record-setting offense while leading the University of Charleston (West Virginia) to unprecedented success as head coach prior to his time with NIU.
NIU showed the ability to run the ball under Sanders in 2025 as the Huskies rushed for 187.1 yards per game, third best in the MAC and No. 37 in the FBS. Running backs Telly Johnson Jr. and Chavon Wright became the first NIU duo since 2016 and fourth since 2000 to each rush for at least 700 yards in a single season.
The two-headed tandem combined for 1,587 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns in 2025. Wright led the team with 875 yards after transferring from University of Charleston. In the season finale, Wright rushed for a season-high 188 yards and a pair of touchdowns, finishing his college career with 5,804 rushing yards, 1,021 carries and 80 rushing touchdowns.
Johnson Jr. led the MAC in rushing yards per carry with 5.74, ranking 31st in the FBS and eclipsed 800 scrimmage yards as a sophomore. Wide receiver DeAree Rogers led the Huskies in receiving and ranked seven in the MAC in receptions.
The Huskies rushed for 300 yards three times in 2025 and averaged 31.7 points per game in the final three games of the season.
Sanders, a 2011 University of Charleston graduate, joined the Golden Eagles’ coaching staff since 2015. In three seasons as head coach, he led Charleston to a 27-8 record, including an impressive 21-3 in 2023 and 2024. Sanders earned Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2023 and 2024 after leading Charleston to back-to-back MEC titles and to the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
The 2024 team finished the regular season 11-0 Mountain East Offensive Player of the Year Chavon Wright, who set the NCAA single season record with 38 rushing touchdowns and led all NCAA divisions in rushing yards and touchdowns. The Golden Eagles finished the regular season ranked sixth in the AFCA Coaches’ Poll and ninth in D2football.com rankings.
Charleston averaged at least 44 points per game in both 2023 and 2024 with an offense ranked in the Top 10 in the country in seven categories last season. Quarterback Ean Hamric led Division II in completion percentage and was second in quarterback rating.
“NIU has an incredible tradition, and I can’t wait to get to work with these great coaches and bring more championships to NIU and to this university," said Sanders. "The opportunity to come here – with as much history and prestige as the football program and university have – was something special and after bringing [Mountain East Conference] championships to Charleston in the last two years, this is the right place for me to take the next step.”
From February 2021 until he was named head coach in March 2022, Sanders served as Charleston’s offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator as the Golden Eagles won the MEC South Championship while scoring 37 points and averaging 427 yards per game. He developed MEC Player of the Year and current Las Vegas Raider running back Tyreek McCallister and two-time all-conference quarterback Guy Myers.
Sanders spent the 2017-19 seasons as quarterbacks coach, passing game coordinator and recruiting coordinator. The Golden Eagles set school records for passing yards, touchdowns and completions in 2019 under quarterback Brant Grisel, who earned Academic All-America honors.
Sanders began his coaching career at the University of Charleston in June 2013, assisting with quarterbacks and running backs while contributing to scouting and opponent analysis. After one season at Midwestern State University, where he coached two all-conference players and contributed to a top 10 national rushing offense, Sanders returned to Charleston as wide receivers coach, video and recruiting coordinator in 2015.
A native of Seagrove Beach, Florida, Sanders graduated from the University of Charleston in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in pre-law.
