Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
2015 Football Roster
Roster
Sanders, D.J.
RB
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Jersey Number 31
D.J. Sanders
- Position:
- LB
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-0 / 213
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Sandersville, GA
- High School:
- Washington Co. HS
Bio
2017 (Senior)
• Named Honorable Mention All-C-USA
• A permanent team captain
• One of four players to start all 13 games
• Finished year with a career-best 88 tackles to rank second on the team
• Also had 7.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups, a fumble recovery and a hurry
• Earned the team’s Grinder Award for linebackers following spring drills
• Had five stops against Vanderbilt and added a sack in a win over Syracuse
• Also had five tackles at Minnesota and UAB
• Collected six solo stops and a pass breakup in win over Bowling Green
• Had a career-best 15 tackles at FAU
• Led team with seven stops, including a TFL against Marshall
• Turned in 10 tackles, including 1.5 sacks and a hurry against WKU
• Had 10 stops, including a sack and a 54-yard fumble return for a touchdown in bowl win over A-State
2016 (Junior)
• Named Honorable Mention All-C-USA
• Voted a Permanent Team Captain
• Named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 31
• Voted the TSWA Player of the Week on Nov. 1
• Started all 13 games and was second among linebackers with 1,033 snaps
• Had a career-best 66 tackles on the season, including 4.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles and a blocked kick
• Collected two double digit tackle games and had six or more in a game four times
• Led team with 11 tackles, including two TFLs, a sack and a forced fumble at Bowling Green
• Credited with 11 tackles to go with a forced fumble, a pass breakup and a hurry at Missouri
• Collected seven tackles, including a sack, interception and pass breakup at FIU
• His INT at FIU was the game-winner as he returned it 48 yards for a touchdown with 1:22 left to play
• Returned an interception for a touchdown against FAU
2015 (Sophomore)
• Played in all 13 games
• Also saw extensive time on special teams
• Finished with 44 total tackles to go with an interception, a pass breakup, forced fumble and a fumble recovery
• Led team in special teams tackles with 15
• Returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown in win over Jackson State
• Had five solo stops at Alabama and five against WMU
• Collected four stops at Illinois, vs FIU, at LA Tech and at UTSA
• Credited with six stops in win over Marshall
2014 (Freshman)
• Named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team
• Played in all 12 games
• Finished with 15 tackles, an interception and a pass breakup
• Led the team in special teams tackles with 10
• Had two tackles to go with his first career interception and a pass breakup at Marshall
High School
• Lettered in football, basketball and track at Washington County High School
• Led Washington County to a 13-1 record his senior year and a trip to the Georgia State Championship Game
• Had eight receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns in title game loss
• Played defensive back, linebacker and wide receiver and was a four-year starter
• Turned in 90 tackles and eight interceptions on the season
• Named to the Augusta Chronicle’s Dream 16 Team
• Named second team all-state by the Georgia Sports Writers and was the Georgia High School Football Daily 3-AAA Defensive Player of the Year
• Also tabbed the AJC.com 3-AAA Defensive Player of the Year and honorable mention all-state
• Named to the Augusta Chronicle All-Area First Team as a wide receiver
• Participated in the Border Bowl as a linebacker
• Placed in the 300-meter hurdles in the state track meet as a junior
• Had a 3.9 GPA
• Played for coach Joel Ingram
Personal
• Full name: Damion Jarell Sanders
• Parents: Johnny and Debra Sanders
• Born: 11/7/95
• Major: Finance
• Named Honorable Mention All-C-USA
• A permanent team captain
• One of four players to start all 13 games
• Finished year with a career-best 88 tackles to rank second on the team
• Also had 7.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups, a fumble recovery and a hurry
• Earned the team’s Grinder Award for linebackers following spring drills
• Had five stops against Vanderbilt and added a sack in a win over Syracuse
• Also had five tackles at Minnesota and UAB
• Collected six solo stops and a pass breakup in win over Bowling Green
• Had a career-best 15 tackles at FAU
• Led team with seven stops, including a TFL against Marshall
• Turned in 10 tackles, including 1.5 sacks and a hurry against WKU
• Had 10 stops, including a sack and a 54-yard fumble return for a touchdown in bowl win over A-State
2016 (Junior)
• Named Honorable Mention All-C-USA
• Voted a Permanent Team Captain
• Named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 31
• Voted the TSWA Player of the Week on Nov. 1
• Started all 13 games and was second among linebackers with 1,033 snaps
• Had a career-best 66 tackles on the season, including 4.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles and a blocked kick
• Collected two double digit tackle games and had six or more in a game four times
• Led team with 11 tackles, including two TFLs, a sack and a forced fumble at Bowling Green
• Credited with 11 tackles to go with a forced fumble, a pass breakup and a hurry at Missouri
• Collected seven tackles, including a sack, interception and pass breakup at FIU
• His INT at FIU was the game-winner as he returned it 48 yards for a touchdown with 1:22 left to play
• Returned an interception for a touchdown against FAU
2015 (Sophomore)
• Played in all 13 games
• Also saw extensive time on special teams
• Finished with 44 total tackles to go with an interception, a pass breakup, forced fumble and a fumble recovery
• Led team in special teams tackles with 15
• Returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown in win over Jackson State
• Had five solo stops at Alabama and five against WMU
• Collected four stops at Illinois, vs FIU, at LA Tech and at UTSA
• Credited with six stops in win over Marshall
2014 (Freshman)
• Named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team
• Played in all 12 games
• Finished with 15 tackles, an interception and a pass breakup
• Led the team in special teams tackles with 10
• Had two tackles to go with his first career interception and a pass breakup at Marshall
High School
• Lettered in football, basketball and track at Washington County High School
• Led Washington County to a 13-1 record his senior year and a trip to the Georgia State Championship Game
• Had eight receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns in title game loss
• Played defensive back, linebacker and wide receiver and was a four-year starter
• Turned in 90 tackles and eight interceptions on the season
• Named to the Augusta Chronicle’s Dream 16 Team
• Named second team all-state by the Georgia Sports Writers and was the Georgia High School Football Daily 3-AAA Defensive Player of the Year
• Also tabbed the AJC.com 3-AAA Defensive Player of the Year and honorable mention all-state
• Named to the Augusta Chronicle All-Area First Team as a wide receiver
• Participated in the Border Bowl as a linebacker
• Placed in the 300-meter hurdles in the state track meet as a junior
• Had a 3.9 GPA
• Played for coach Joel Ingram
Personal
• Full name: Damion Jarell Sanders
• Parents: Johnny and Debra Sanders
• Born: 11/7/95
• Major: Finance
MTSU Football @ Kennesaw State post-game conference - 9/27/25
Saturday, September 27
Raider Report Week 5 - MTSU vs. Kennesaw State University
Friday, September 26
Derek Mason LIVE: Presented by The Boulevard Bar & Grille Week 5 (Video)
Monday, September 22
MTSU Football Weekly Press Conference 9/22/25
Monday, September 22
