Vols DC Tim Banks comments on the importance of Jeremy Banks to Tennessee's defense
Tennessee Vols defensive coordinator Tim Banks was asked on Tuesday about the importance of linebacker Jeremy Banks to UT's defense. Banks has become a key player for Tennessee after initially signing with the program as a running back during the 2018 recruiting cycle. We saw just how important he is for the Vols last month. […]
Tennessee Vols defensive coordinator Tim Banks was asked on Tuesday about the importance of linebacker Jeremy Banks to UT's defense.
Banks has become a key player for Tennessee after initially signing with the program as a running back during the 2018 recruiting cycle.
We saw just how important he is for the Vols last month.
The Cordova, TN native didn't play in the Vols' 63-38 loss to South Carolina last month in a game in which the defense looked uninspired (UT head coach Josh Heupel simply said that Banks was unavailable for the game).
A reporter asked Tim Banks on Monday if he considers Jeremy Banks the emotional leader of Tennessee's defense after the way the Vols played without him in Columbia.
"Jeremy's obviously a talented player," said Banks. "But I don't think I can stand here and say, you know that one guy is the difference between winning and losing. But I will tell you, obviously, he's done a lot of good things for this university in terms of his play on the field. And we love it when he's out there."
"But as I've said since the beginning, it's a next man up mentality. The standard is the standard. We expect to be successful regardless of who's in the game."
Banks has come a long way since first moving to linebacker under previous Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt. He plays much more controlled now. Banks has always been a fast, aggressive player, which coaches love. But sometimes his aggressiveness would get the best of him and it would result in a brutal penalty, killing momentum for the Vols.
We haven't seen nearly as many of those instances from Banks since Heupel and his staff took over in Knoxville nearly two years ago.
Banks still has one year of eligibility remaining, but it's unclear (for now) if he'll return to Tennessee in 2023.
Featured image via Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
