Career
He served as the head football coach at William Jewell College in 1911, at Haskell Institute—now Haskell Indian Nations University—from 1918 to 1919, at Grinnell College from 1920 to 1921, and at Clemson University from 1923 to 1926. Saunders was the head basketball coach at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois during the 1922-1923 season and at Clemson from 1923 to 1925, compiling a career college basketball coaching record of 20–40. He also served as the athletic director at Clemson from 1923 to 1926.
A native of Saint Joseph, Missouri, Saunders graduated from the University of Missouri in 1911, in the field of law.
He played football there as a quarterback on William Roper"s 1909 team Saunders began his coaching career in William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri when he took charge of the football team in October 1911.
He had been slated to coach football at Missouri Valley College that year, but the school disbanded their football team Saunders served briefly as a football coach at Knox College previous to his stint at Clemson.
