Bucs' Sanders Socon Coach Of The Year

JOHNSON CITY — He began his first season with his team picked to finish eighth in the nine-team Southern Conference. Instead, it finished tied for first, and now he’s winning awards. Randy Sanders, whose East Tennessee State football team is preparing for the playoffs, was named the SoCon’s coach of the year on Tuesday. Twelve ETSU players claimed SoCon honors, including seven as first-team members of the two all-conference teams picked by the league’s coaches and media. Center Matt Pyke won the Jacobs Blocking Award, which goes to the league’s top lineman, and running back Quay Holmes was the freshman of the year. Under Sanders, hired last December to replace Carl Torbush, the fourth-year program finished the regular season 8-3.