Former Star Gary Banks Returning as New Wide Receivers Coach

Former Trojan wide receiver Gary Banks will be returning to Troy in 2021 as the new Wide Receivers Coach. He will take the position vacated by Cornelius Williams. This adds another key member to a Troy staff that is replacing three coaches on the offensive side of the ball. (Luke Meadows is taking over offensive line duties from Ryan Pugh.)

Banks has a storied history in Alabama that I believe will suit him well in his time at Troy. He was a starting quarterback and free safety at Southern Choctaw High School and led them to back-to-back 2A State Championships in 1998 and 1999. Banks was also a notable baseball player, so much so that the Chicago Cubs took him 133rd overall in the Fifth Round of the 2000 MLB Draft. He played right fielder and was a .224 hitter during his four years in the Cubs minor league organization.

After realizing that baseball might not work out for him, he enrolled at Troy in 2004. Coach Blakeney convinced Banks to make the switch from quarterback to wide receiver, as he could be more of an impact there. He was used very sparingly during his freshman campaign, but his workload went up quickly in year two. He accounted for two touchdowns and 293 yards on 25 catches at 11.7 yards per catch.

In Banks’ junior year, his yards per catch dropped, but everything else rose dramatically. He snagged 68 passes for 603 yards and 8 touchdowns. Banks only accounted for three touchdowns in his 2007 senior year, but his ability to make plays showed up again. He had 698 yards on 61 catches for a 11.4 yard average. Banks finished his time in Troy with 1625 all purpose yards, and 13 touchdowns. He was also an All-Sun Belt selection in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

After graduating, Banks had his second shot at becoming a professional athlete. He went undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft, but was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the San Diego Chargers. He stayed with the organization until the 2010 season. Since then, he has made numerous stops on his way to becoming the head coach and athletic director at Choctaw County High School.

I, for one, am very glad to see Coach Banks back on the Troy sidelines, a place where he shined and can now help new generations of Trojans find success.