Troy Football Finalizes On-Field Staff – Banks, Hardmon, Pogue Return

TROY, Ala. – Troy football head coach Jon Sumrall finalized his on-field coaching staff Friday with the announcement of Gary Banks, Bam Hardmon and Al Pogue returning to the Troy coaching staff for the 2022 season.

"I spent a lot of time with Bam and Al in the defensive staff room when I was here as an assistant coach, and you would be hard-pressed to find two men who have a higher character in addition to being outstanding football coaches," Sumrall said. "Gary was a guy that stood out immediately once I got the job, and it's easy to see why he has been successful as a coach at many levels. I had known about Gary as a former player at Troy and had watched him as an in-state high school coach."

Banks returns for his second season and will coach Troy's wide receivers in 2022 after coaching the outside receivers in 2021. Banks joined the Troy staff following two seasons as the head football and baseball coach and athletics director at Choctaw County High School in Butler, Ala. Prior to that, he spent the 2018 season as the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Foley High School following four seasons (2014-17) at Florence High School.

In his first season at Florence, the Falcons posted an 11-3 record, won a district title and advanced to the Alabama 6A semifinals. Banks served as Florence's offensive coordinator, quarterback coach and assistant head coach during his tenure, in addition to working with the punt and kickoff returners.

A three-time All-Sun Belt selection for the Trojans, Banks was a member of Troy's first Division I bowl team (2004 Silicon Valley Classic) and led the Trojans in receiving in both 2006 and 2007; the first two of Troy's five straight Sun Belt Conference titles. Banks caught the game-winning touchdown pass with 14 seconds remaining in the "Miracle at Murfreesboro" in 2006 as Troy rallied from a 13-point deficit late in the fourth quarter.

Hardmon will continue his role coaching Troy's bandits and outside linebackers, where one of his players has earned All-Sun Belt First Team honors in five of his seven years at Troy. Javon Solomon was the latest to join that group after leading the Sun Belt in tackles for loss (1.42 per game) and ranked 12^th nationally in 2021. He was also eighth nationally with 0.92 sacks per game.

A 2018 Broyles Award nominee, Hardmon joined the Troy staff prior to the 2015 season, and 15 of Hardmon's players have earned All-Sun Belt honors in his seven seasons with the Trojans. Additionally, in 2018 former walk-on linebacker Carlton Martial earned Freshman All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America, The Athletic and USA Today.

The native of Jacksonville, Fla., was a four-year letterwinner as a linebacker at Florida and was the team's captain in 2002 as a senior. Hardmon was named second team All-SEC during that season and helped lead the Gators to the Outback Bowl. Prior to Troy, Hardmon had coaching stops at Idaho, Illinois, following a playing career in the NFL and NFL Europe.

Pogue, who will once again coach Troy's cornerbacks, is the lone assistant on the Troy staff to have coached with Troy's last four head coaches – Larry Blakeney, Neal Brown, Chip Lindsey and Jon Sumrall. He first joined Troy's staff in 2014 and remained until 2018, when he went to West Virginia (2019) and Auburn (2020) before returning to the Trojans in 2021.

During a three-year window from 2016-18, Pogue helped a Troy defense allow just 20.8 points per game, ranking fourth nationally among Group of 5 Five Conference schools. During his final four years, the Trojans were second nationally among FBS schools in takeaways (106) and tied for seventh nationally with 63 interceptions.

Troy picked right up where it left off in 2021 under Pogue's leadership as the Trojans finished eighth nationally with 16 interceptions and fourth with three returned for a touchdown. Sophomore cornerback Reddy Steward finished second nationally (min. 15 targets), holding opponents to catches on just 28.6 percent of targets against him.

Prior to joining Troy's staff in 2014, Pogue spent three years at Auburn following an extremely successful high school coaching career in the state of Alabama.

Troy University Athletics

Troy Football Finalizes On-Field Staff – Banks, Hardmon, Pogue Return

Players Mentioned

Carlton Martial

Javon Solomon

Reddy Steward

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