Troy University Athletics
2007 Football Roster
Roster
Gary Banks
- Position:
- WR
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-1 / 196
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Melvin, AL
- High School:
- Southern Choctaw HS
OUTLOOK: Came to Troy after playing baseball in the Chicago Cubs organization for three years ... Moved from quarterback to receiver in 2004 ... Extremely athletic and possesses a strong, accurate throwing arm ... Has also held for PATs and field goals ... Enters the 2007 season six receptions shy of 100 for his career and 98 yards shy of 1,000 for his career...Was named to several preseason Sun Belt Conference teams.
2006: Was a first-team All-Sun Belt Conference performer ...Started all 13 games for the Trojans at receiver, leading the team with 603 yards on 68 receptions while scoring eight touchdowns...Also had six rushing attempts for 21 yards and completed three-of-four pass attempts for 44 yards...Caught eight passes for 75 yards and three touchdowns in the season-opener against Alabama State...Followed-up two weeks later with eight catches for 104 yards and a score against Georgia Tech, earning Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week honors... Had a career-high 10 receptions, for 83 yards, against Louisiana-Monroe...Was slowed toward the end of the season by an ankle injury that limited him to 11 receptions for 58 yards and two scores over the final four games...Scored the winning touchdown in the Trojans’ dramatic come-from-behind victory over Middle Tennessee...Also had TD receptions against North Texas, Louisiana Lafayette and Rice...Completed two passes, for 52 yards, against Florida State...Averaged 8.9 yards per reception for the season...Earned first team Academic All-District 4 accolades from CoSIDA and ESPN The Magazine.
2005: Started all 11 games at receiver for the Trojans ... Caught 25 passes for 293 and two touchdowns ... Was second on the team in catches and yards receiving ... Two touchdown receptions game in the opening game, against Cal Poly, and the season finale against Middle Tennessee ... Best effort came against Cal Poly with five receptions for 63 yards ... Had at least one reception in 10 of 11 games ... Completed his only pass attempt of the year for four yards ... Also had four rushing attempts for four yards ... Was named second team All-Sun Belt Conference as an All-Purpose player.
2004: Saw action in 11 games, primarily on special teams ... Had one reception for six yards on the season.
PRIOR TO TROY: Played three seasons as a right fielder in the Chicago Cubs minor league system after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2000 Major League Amateur Draft ... Was taken as the 133rd pick overall in 2000, ahead of the Cubs’ eighth-round pick (No. 233), current Florida Marlins phenom Dontrelle Willis ... Played two full seasons for the Boise Hawks (Class A, Northwest League), batting .241 in 60 games with 20 RBI and seven steals in 2002 and .247 in 28 games with eight RBI and two steals in 2003 ... Spent all of the 2000 and most of the 2001 seasons with the Cubs’ Rookie League team in Arizona.
PREP: Played high school football at Southern Choctaw High School in Silas, Ala., for head coach Larry Boykin ... Played quarterback and free safety for the Indians, helping them win the 1998 and 1999 Class 2A state titles ... The Indians defeated Lineville both times, 16-6 and 27-7, respectively ... Banks tied a Super Six record against Lineville with three touchdowns scored in the 1999 game, when he rushed nine times for 144 yards, including a long run of 45 yards ... In 1999, he also completed 5-of-9 passes for 42 yards and a touchdown and intercepted a pass and returned it 58 yards ... Banks completed 7-of-11 passes in the 1998 game and also threw a 10-yard touchdown pass ... Team posted 3-7, 5-6, 15-0 and 13-2 records, respectively, during his career ... Was an honorable mention All-USA Today selection in 1999 ... Also played baseball at Southern Choctaw ... Originally signed with UAB out of high school.
PERSONAL: Born on Nov. 4, 1981, in Meridian, Miss. ... Son of Phyllis and Cornelius Banks of Gilbertown, Ala. ... Has a younger sister, Candice (22) ... Married wife Shaundra on May 20, 2006 ... Is a Physical Education major.
CAREER HIGHS
|
Receptions: |
5, vs. Cal Poly (9/3/05) |
|
Receiving Yards: |
63, vs. Cal Poly (9/3/05) |
|
Long Reception: |
39, vs. Florida Atlantic (11/5/05) |
CAREER RECEIVING STATISTICS
|
Year |
G/GS |
No. |
Yds |
Avg/C |
TD |
Long |
Avg/G |
|
2004 |
11/0 |
1 |
6 |
6.0 |
0 |
6 |
0.6 |
|
2005 |
11/11 |
25 |
293 |
11.7 |
2 |
39 |
26.6 |
|
Total |
22/11 |
26 |
299 |
11.5 |
2 |
39 |
13.6 |
