Caleb Saunders is in his second year with the University of Iowa football program, serving as director of football creative media.
Saunders works closely with the Iowa football staff regarding design and production of print and electronic recruiting materials, photography, management of football specific social media, and works with UI Athletics External Relations regarding football specific activities.
The Hawkeyes won 10 games in 2021, winning the Big Ten’s West Division title and advancing to the conference championship game. Iowa concluded the season with an appearance in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl and was ranked 23rd in the nation in the final national rankings. Iowa’s streak of nine straight bowl invitations matches the longest in school history and the Hawkeyes have been in the Top 25 final rankings four straight seasons.
Iowa opened the 2021 season with six straight wins and closed the regular season with four straight victories to earn the West Division title and a berth in the league championship game for the second time since 2015. Iowa has been in the final national rankings in each of the past four seasons and has earned 19 conference wins in the past three seasons, Iowa’s highest three-year conference win total since 2002-04.
Saunders joined the Hawkeye staff after serving in a similar role at West Virginia. There he worked as the program’s graphic designer to promote Mountaineer football, including a heavy emphasis on recruiting. He produced content and materials that highlighted and communicated information about the program on a variety of platforms, including print, web, social media, and internal team distribution and assist with photo and video production.
Saunders worked with the West Virginia director of player personnel and the on-campus recruiting coordinator to produce creative content for prospective student-athletes. He also designed various items for the promotion of the football program, including recruiting correspondence, signage, logos, brochures, and flyers.
Saunders previously served as the lead football designer at the Air Force Academy (July, 2019 – Jan., 2020). He served as the primary graphic designer for the football program, including all social media and recruiting platforms. He produced creative video and motion graphic content for social media, including game recaps, hype videos, uniform reveals, and player features. Saunders assisted in developing strategy regarding graphics and creative aspects for the program’s social media and recruiting efforts and took photographs as needed for social media content and recruiting visits.
Prior to his position at Air Force, Saunders served as the social media correspondent for Learfield IMG College with South Carolina’s New and Creative Media Department (August, 2018 – July, 2019). He also served two stints in the athletic communications department at Miami University, as the assistant director of athletic communications/new media for two years (2016-18) and as an intern (2015-16). He also spent a short time as an athletic media relations assistant at South Carolina in 2016.
While with the RedHawks, Saunders served as the primary contact for the women’s basketball and baseball programs, as well as the secondary contact for football. He also worked extensively with the department’s social media efforts, including assisting with strategy, graphic design, and photography.
Saunders earned his bachelor’s degree in sport leadership and management from Miami, Ohio in 2014. He is a native of Brecksville, Ohio.