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Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com
People in the college football world, including former Alabama head coach Mike Price, have high praise for Jeff Banks.
One look at Jeff Banks' bio raises curiosity.
How does a former all-conference college punter evolve into an offensive assistant?
How does someone who once played an outlier position that usually attracts the quirky become an ace recruiter who has the ability to connect with top-flight prospects?
And just how did this guy distinguish himself enough to merit a spot on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama?
Mike Price, the man who once coached the Crimson Tide for less than four months back in 2003, can give some insight.
"He's got flair," Price said. "He's a real aggressive guy, a 100-percenter. He's a workaholic. And yet he's fun to be around."
When the hiring of Banks as a tight ends coach and special teams coordinator was announced by Alabama earlier this winter, it created a buzz.
One assistant who works at another Football Bowl Subdivision program called the addition of the 42-year-old Banks a "game-changer."
For the Tide, a program that already seemed to have everything, it just might be. After all, Banks gives the Tide something it hasn't had during Saban's tenure at Alabama -- expertise in the kicking game. At times, Alabama has struggled in this area. A reminder of that came in the College Football Playoff championship game, when Andy Pappanastos shanked a 36-yard game-winning field-goal attempt at the end of regulation -- necessitating Tua Tagovailoa's heroics in overtime for the Tide to claim its 17th national title.
The miss by Pappanastos was emblematic of a larger problem as placekicker has been considered the program's weakest position since the departure of Leigh Tiffin following the 2009 season. But there wasn't a coach on staff who could really help Pappanastos or even the team's outstanding punter, JK Scott. Joe Pannunzio, who supervised the special teams last season, once played quarterback and was primarily responsible for directing Alabama's tight ends.
"It's really, really hard for a guy that's never kicked a ball to help a kicker or punter do his thing because they just don't have the experience," Scott said.
Price understood that more than most people in his line of work. That's because his son, Aaron, was a kicker. And at Washington State, Price took a particular interest in special teams -- recognizing, he said, "how important it was."
It's one of the reasons why Price gave Banks his first opportunity in coaching, offering him a role as a graduate assistant with the Cougars in 1998.
Another?
"I liked his personality," the garrulous Price said. "He's a social butterfly."
Price remembered Banks, as a player, ingratiating himself with his teammates. And he also recognized the former punter was a hard worker with ambition. Banks set out not just to coach the specialists but also learn the Cougars' high-octane one-back offense, which helped spawn elite quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf.
After Banks went off on his own and did a four-year tour at Idaho State, Price lured him to UTEP once he was hired there in 2004 -- with the embers from his short-lived tenure at Alabama still smoldering.
Price soon assigned Banks to oversee the Miners' recruiting efforts. It's here where Banks began to distinguish himself as he developed strong relationships with high school coaches in Texas and his native California.
"He had a gift for gab, was a good speaker, very bright, smart and remembered everyone's names," Price said.
He also won over the players on the roster. Because Banks presided over special teams, he worked with almost everybody -- linebackers, defensive backs, receivers, running backs and linemen on both sides of the ball.
Armed with a communications degree he earned at Washington State and an excitable demeanor, he made his presence felt whereever he went.
The best talent on the team gravitated toward him.
It was no different at Texas A&M, where Banks held the exact same role he now has at Alabama for five seasons in Aggieland.
"Just the way he's able to portray a message and the culture he set in the room, guys buy into it really easily," said former Aggies receiver Christian Kirk, a prolific return specialist who is considered a first-round pick in this year's NFL draft. "I know every guy in that locker room would run through a brick wall for him just because of the love he shows for us. But at the end of the day, he's always working to get us better."
As Price said, "He's not afraid to burn the midnight oil. He's moving all the time. He doesn't let any grass grow underneath his feet."
That's particularly true on the recruiting trail, where Banks made his mark. He wooed Kirk and also lured Kyle Allen, the top pro-style quarterback in the 2014 class, to College Station.
At one point last summer, Banks was rated the top recruiter in the nation, according to 247Sports.
His success in this arena caught the eye of Saban,who noted his new assistant's track record of reeling in highly-regarded prospects when his appointment at Alabama was made official.
"Jeff is well-respected across the country for his knowledge of the game and his ability to recruit," Saban said in a statement.
But is he a game-changer as he's been purported to be?
Price wasn't ready to commit to making such a definitive statement.
"I don't know," he said.
But seconds later he did offer this verbal pledge: "I know his impact will be positive. He's got a personality people like."
And that -- more than anything else -- helps explain how a former college punter is now a valued coach at college football's premier program.
Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com
Why new Alabama assistant Jeff Banks is a 'game-changer'
One look at Jeff Banks' bio raises curiosity.
How does a former all-conference college punter evolve into an offensive assistant?
How does someone who once played an outlier position that usually attracts the quirky become an ace recruiter who has the ability to connect with top-flight prospects?
And just how did this guy distinguish himself enough to merit a spot on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama?
Mike Price, the man who once coached the Crimson Tide for less than four months back in 2003, can give some insight.
"He's got flair," Price said. "He's a real aggressive guy, a 100-percenter. He's a workaholic. And yet he's fun to be around."
When the hiring of Banks as a tight ends coach and special teams coordinator was announced by Alabama earlier this winter, it created a buzz.
One assistant who works at another Football Bowl Subdivision program called the addition of the 42-year-old Banks a "game-changer."
For the Tide, a program that already seemed to have everything, it just might be. After all, Banks gives the Tide something it hasn't had during Saban's tenure at Alabama -- expertise in the kicking game. At times, Alabama has struggled in this area. A reminder of that came in the College Football Playoff championship game, when Andy Pappanastos shanked a 36-yard game-winning field-goal attempt at the end of regulation -- necessitating Tua Tagovailoa's heroics in overtime for the Tide to claim its 17th national title.
The miss by Pappanastos was emblematic of a larger problem as placekicker has been considered the program's weakest position since the departure of Leigh Tiffin following the 2009 season. But there wasn't a coach on staff who could really help Pappanastos or even the team's outstanding punter, JK Scott. Joe Pannunzio, who supervised the special teams last season, once played quarterback and was primarily responsible for directing Alabama's tight ends.
"It's really, really hard for a guy that's never kicked a ball to help a kicker or punter do his thing because they just don't have the experience," Scott said.
Price understood that more than most people in his line of work. That's because his son, Aaron, was a kicker. And at Washington State, Price took a particular interest in special teams -- recognizing, he said, "how important it was."
It's one of the reasons why Price gave Banks his first opportunity in coaching, offering him a role as a graduate assistant with the Cougars in 1998.
Another?
"I liked his personality," the garrulous Price said. "He's a social butterfly."
Price remembered Banks, as a player, ingratiating himself with his teammates. And he also recognized the former punter was a hard worker with ambition. Banks set out not just to coach the specialists but also learn the Cougars' high-octane one-back offense, which helped spawn elite quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf.
After Banks went off on his own and did a four-year tour at Idaho State, Price lured him to UTEP once he was hired there in 2004 -- with the embers from his short-lived tenure at Alabama still smoldering.
Price soon assigned Banks to oversee the Miners' recruiting efforts. It's here where Banks began to distinguish himself as he developed strong relationships with high school coaches in Texas and his native California.
"He had a gift for gab, was a good speaker, very bright, smart and remembered everyone's names," Price said.
He also won over the players on the roster. Because Banks presided over special teams, he worked with almost everybody -- linebackers, defensive backs, receivers, running backs and linemen on both sides of the ball.
Armed with a communications degree he earned at Washington State and an excitable demeanor, he made his presence felt whereever he went.
The best talent on the team gravitated toward him.
It was no different at Texas A&M, where Banks held the exact same role he now has at Alabama for five seasons in Aggieland.
"Just the way he's able to portray a message and the culture he set in the room, guys buy into it really easily," said former Aggies receiver Christian Kirk, a prolific return specialist who is considered a first-round pick in this year's NFL draft. "I know every guy in that locker room would run through a brick wall for him just because of the love he shows for us. But at the end of the day, he's always working to get us better."
As Price said, "He's not afraid to burn the midnight oil. He's moving all the time. He doesn't let any grass grow underneath his feet."
That's particularly true on the recruiting trail, where Banks made his mark. He wooed Kirk and also lured Kyle Allen, the top pro-style quarterback in the 2014 class, to College Station.
At one point last summer, Banks was rated the top recruiter in the nation, according to 247Sports.
His success in this arena caught the eye of Saban,who noted his new assistant's track record of reeling in highly-regarded prospects when his appointment at Alabama was made official.
"Jeff is well-respected across the country for his knowledge of the game and his ability to recruit," Saban said in a statement.
But is he a game-changer as he's been purported to be?
Price wasn't ready to commit to making such a definitive statement.
"I don't know," he said.
But seconds later he did offer this verbal pledge: "I know his impact will be positive. He's got a personality people like."
And that -- more than anything else -- helps explain how a former college punter is now a valued coach at college football's premier program.
Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com
Why new Alabama assistant Jeff Banks is a 'game-changer'
