9

Number of touchdowns senior wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders has accumulated in each of his first three seasons at SMU. The nine touchdowns, along with about 60 receptions and 800 receiving yards have comprised an average season for Sanders during his three seasons on the Hilltop. When asked what his expectations are for this year, Sanders said he definitely wants to break the nine-touchdown barrier and get into double digits with 15 or so, and that he would like to get up around the 100-catch mark and over 1,000 yards … which would make him just the fourth player in SMU history to eclipse the 1,000-yard plateau for receiving yards in a season.

Emmanuel Sanders has averaged 107 receiving yards per game through the Ponies' first two games of the 2009 season (photo by SMU athletics).

Sanders’ jersey number, chosen as a tribute to his and his mother’s birthday on the 17th of March and July, respectively. The preseason all-Conference USA pick also admits that the choice of number may be to invoke a little luck from St. Patrick’s Day.

67

The number of receptions Sanders tallied last year in his junior season, similar to the numbers put up by such NFL luminaries as Randy Moss of the New England Patriots and Terrell Owens, then of the Dallas Cowboys, each of whom finished last season with 69 receptions. Sanders’ other numbers from the big three receiving categories last year, including 958 receiving yards and nine touchdowns put him in a class with players such as Bernard Berrian (964 yards) of the Minnesota Vikings and Greg Jennings (nine touchdowns) of the Green Bay Packers in terms of production.

Although thrilled with the parallels, Sanders said he compares himself more to players like Lee Evans of the Buffalo Bills and Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers, as far as NFL comparisons are concerned.

“They are smaller, quicker guys who are explosive, and that’s what I see myself as,” Sanders said. When asked what he liked most about these receivers, Sanders said their ability to make plays. “Like these guys, I want to be a playmaker,” he said, “a guy the coach can call on when we need to make a play.”

8, 7, 5

Sanders’ rank last season among Conference USA leaders in the big three receiving categories. He finished tied for eighth in receiving touchdowns (9), tied for seventh in receiving yards (958), and tied for fifth in receptions (67). Of the C-USA receiving leaders from a year ago, roughly half are back this season, including SMU’s own Aldrick Robinson.

So the question becomes, who is/will be C-USA’s best receiver this year?

“Not to be cocky, but me,” said Sanders. “There is definitely good talent in the conference, but I just want to have the opportunity to win and the numbers will follow as we get the offense rolling.”

20

Yards per game, roughly, by which Sanders has improved his receiving yards per game each season, freshman to sophomore and sophomore to junior. He averaged about 50 receiving yards in his freshman season, a total that increased to 74 during his sophomore season and 96 in his junior season. Sanders attributed the steady progress to the fact that he never rests on his laurels.

“I think there is always room for improvement, and I just want to be the best (player) that I can be,” he said. As far as his senior season is concerned, Sanders said that he would like to average over 100 yards per game. Through two games, he is averaging 107 yards per game.

3/17

Sanders’ birthday, the same as Hall of Fame quarterback Sammy Baugh, who played for the Washington Redskins in the NFL and TCU in college. On the subject of TCU, Sanders revealed that his most personal rivalry over the years has been with the Ponies’ counterparts from the other side of the Metroplex.

“We have never beaten them while I was on the field,” he said. “The year that we did beat them (2005) was my redshirt year and I didn’t get to play in that game, so I want to beat them when I am on the field.”

He also talked about how TCU is an attractive game because TCU is ranked.

“We need to keep winning so it is a big game for both sides,” he said.

4.4

Sanders’ time in the 40-yard dash. However, he is not even the fastest guy, by time, on the team, with a couple of his teammates (fellow wide receiver Aldrick Robinson and running back Shawnbrey McNeal) registering times in the 4.3s. So, the question is, who would win in a race between Sanders, Robinson and McNeal?

“Al (Aldrick Robinson) — no doubt,” Sanders said without the slightest hesitation. “He has world-class speed.”

50

As in “Hang 50,” a phrase that the offense is using as its goal for scoring output this season. “We feel the sky is the limit,” Sanders said. “Three hundred pass (yards per game) and 150 rush (yards per game) is something I think we can do, but we want to do whatever it takes to win, period. We wanted to put a goal out there, something that would stretch us, and strive for that, but if we don’t get there it’s not terrible, because we are still doing pretty good if we fall just short of it with 40-something (points).”