Running back, return specialist Cam Sanders announces intent to transfer from Southeast Missouri State football program

Southeast Missouri State's Cameron Sanders runs with the ball against Tennessee Tech on Oct. 14 at Houck Field. Sanders is transferring away from the program for his senior season.

Andrew J. Whitaker

Of the things the Southeast Missouri State football team needs to address in the offseason, running back depth and kick returns just climbed the priority list.

On Tuesday, junior running back Cam Sanders -- one of the best kick returners to pull on a Redhawks uniform -- announced via Twitter that he intends to transfer out of the program.

"After taking much time to pray, think and discuss with my family I have decided to use my final year of eligibility and spend my senior year at a different school," Sanders wrote. "I am looking for another school that will fit my academic and athletic goals.

"I want to personally thank the coaches at Southeast Missouri state for given [sic] me the opportunity to earn a scholarship and play for the RedHawks for the past three years. Lastly, I want to thank all of my teammates that were with me throughout this journey. Where ever [sic] I decide to go, I know I will always have my brothers. It has been an honor playing beside each and every one of you."

The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Memphis, Tennessee, native was second on the running back depth chart behind Marquis Terry, who transferred in last offseason and ended up leading the Ohio Valley Conference in rushing with 1,076 yards on 239 carries and earned First-Team All-OVC and All-Newcomer honors in the league.

Sanders carried the ball 43 times for 358 yards and three touchdowns in 2017 and had 25 kick returns for 663 return yards and a score.

As a sophomore, he had 47 carries for 172 yards and 31 kick returns for 837 yards en route to First-Team All-OVC honors as a return specialist. He entered the 2017 campaign as a Preseason All-OVC return specialist.

Sanders' 27.6 yards per return for his career is a school record, his 837 yards in 2016 is second all-time at SEMO for a single season, his 1,795 career kick return yards is third in program history and his 65 career returns is sixth all-time. Sanders also holds the Southeast mark for longest kickoff return for a touchdown at 99 yards, which he set on Nov. 14, 2015, at Jacksonville State.