Banks Likely Done At U N T

[MeanGreen61]

Junior OL Banks likely done at UNT

10:29 AM CST on Saturday, February 9, 2008

By Brett Vito/Staff Writer

Junior offensive lineman Ajani Banks is no longer enrolled at North Texas and said he might not return next season.

Banks appeared in six games as a redshirt freshman in 2006, but did not play for the Mean Green in 2007. He was a member of UNT’s 2005 recruiting class and spent his first season with the Mean Green as a redshirt.

When reached at his home in Spring, Texas, Banks said he was unsure if he would return to UNT in the fall.

Banks would become the second backup offensive lineman to leave the Mean Green since the end of the season if he elects not to return. Tackle Robert Peachey said in late January that he has decided not to return to the team for his junior season after serving as a key backup and starting one game in 2007.

UNT will also lose starting right tackle Adam Venegas, who was a senior last season.

Banks, 6-3, 328, was one of the largest players on the Mean Green’s roster in the 2007 campaign.

UNT’s offensive line is expected to undergo a dramatic overhaul in the offseason. The Mean Green signed a pair of highly regarded Mississippi junior college offensive linemen in Gabe Hollivay of Itawamaba Commu-nity College and Nate Jenkins of Pearle River Community College.

Both will arrive at UNT in the fall after meeting eligibility requirements to transfer to an NCAA Bowl Championship Subdivision school.

UNT also signed three high school offensive linemen and will have a pair of players entering their redshirt freshmen seasons in tackle Matt Tomlinson and center J.J. Johnson.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

[nautique]

Where's the beef? We just lost a big slab of a man. Hopefully, Banks will reconsider.

[MeanGreen61]

Where's the beef? We just lost a big slab of a man. Hopefully, Banks will reconsider.

Have we ever really had him ? 6 games in '06 after red shirting in '05 and 0 games in '07 isn't much to talk about.

[Eaglette]

You can't have MOlasses when you ain't had NOlasses! AB is a good player, but he has had no impact because he hasn't seen the field enough. Hope it is not eligibility problems and that he has the option to reconsider. Laying out couldn't help the progress toward graduation.

[keith]

If they are good enough to play then we should stop saving 'em for a rainy day (i.e. redshirt them) and play them while we have them. I recall when we finally built up enough depth to redshirt good portions of our incoming classes we were all excited because we could finally afford to do what the "big programs" do. Unfortunately, that was about the same time it seemed like the "big programs" changed their attitudes and said we're playing the best players regardless of classification. They started assuming from the beginning that they'd generally only have them for 3 years (injury, grades, loss of interest, on to the pros or whatever made that the average) so wanted to get as much value as they could while they were in school.

Was Banks not good enough to get significant playing time or were we saving him? If he doesn't come back then it's been a complete waste of three years. Same thing happened with our QB a few years ago.

Keith

[MeanGreenZen]

Banks is just another player who failed to live up to his potential. His scholarship was being wasted and hopefully Todd Dodge can find someone more deserving to give it to.

[DeepGreen]

Anyone remember the Green Team? Yes, the Green Team that pushed Louisiana Tech's defense all over Fouts when they replaced the lethargic starters and actually got NT back into the game. Same for the ULAF game. Banks was part of that offensive live as a Freshman. I don't think Banks was ever given the chance to play to his capabilities. Personally, I consider Banks' departure a bad thing.

[nautique]

Banks is just another player who failed to live up to his potential. His scholarship was being wasted and hopefully Todd Dodge can find someone more deserving to give it to.

That is a pretty bold but maybe that is why Lefty wanted those JC's from Miss.

[UNTLifer]

Anyone remember the Green Team? Yes, the Green Team that pushed Louisiana Tech's defense all over Fouts when they replaced the lethargic starters and actually got NT back into the game. Same for the ULAF game. Banks was part of that offensive live as a Freshman. I don't think Banks was ever given the chance to play to his capabilities. Personally, I consider Banks' departure a bad thing.

True and then he showed up last year out of shape. Just my opinion, but I don't think he had the committment level on the field, in conditioning work or in the classroom that TD expects.

[NT80]

True and then he showed up last year out of shape. Just my opinion, but I don't think he had the committment level on the field, in conditioning work or in the classroom that TD expects.

There must have been a reason he didn't play last year or ever start. Sitting at home won't help his chances on Dodge's field. I think Dodge will get better return on his redshirt investments, but I agree it seems in the past few ever finished five years in our program, for whatever reasons.

[good_ken]

There must have been a reason he didn't play last year or ever start. Sitting at home won't help his chances on Dodge's field. I think Dodge will get better return on his redshirt investments, but I agree it seems in the past few ever finished five years in our program, for whatever reasons.

If I remember right, Banks had to go to a JUCO to try to get his grades in order. that would tell me that he either missed last spring's drills, or the summer workouts (when this offense was installed). And tat would make it real hard to be a contributor, especially on the O-line.

Part of this is the effect of DD recruiting: typically his most talented recruits were academics risks.

[UNT_92_Fan]

peace out banks... good luck to ya... we need people who are commited...

[Coach]

We just lost a big slab of a man.

What do you have for this one Quoner?

[foutsrouts]

What do you have for this one Quoner?

Probably whatever he can muster.

[Cr1028]

Anyone remember the Green Team? Yes, the Green Team that pushed Louisiana Tech's defense all over Fouts when they replaced the lethargic starters and actually got NT back into the game. Same for the ULAF game. Banks was part of that offensive live as a Freshman. I don't think Banks was ever given the chance to play to his capabilities. Personally, I consider Banks' departure a bad thing.

If I remember correctly, that game was touted as the nation's worst offense vs. the nation's worst defense and a pillow fight of the week.