Report: Alabama hires Jeff Banks as special teams coordinator
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama added another new face to its coaching staff Thursday night as the Crimson Tide hired former Texas A&M special teams coordinator Jeff Banks to the same role, according to a report from Fox Sports.
Joe Pannunzio served as Alabama special teams coordinator and tight ends coach this past season and is still a member of the Crimson Tide’s coaching staff.
Banks, who served as the Aggies’ special teams coordinator and tight ends coach since 2013, was named Texas A&M’s interim head coach following the firing of Kevin Sumlin. He coached the Aggies during their 55-52 loss in the Belk Bowl before being replaced by newly hired head coach Jimbo Fisher.
Under Banks, 42, Texas A&M finished No. 2 in the nation in punt returns, averaging 17.14 yards per return with two touchdowns last season. The Aggies also made 18 of 22 (81.8 percent) of their field goal attempts and 51 of 52 (98.1 percent) of their extra point attempts. Texas A&M ranked No. 7 in net punting, averaging 44.95 yards per punt. The Aggies also lead the nation with eight blocked kicks.
Banks is also viewed as a top recruiter and helped Texas A&M land former five-star Christian Kirk and Kyle Allen.
Before coaching at Texas A&M Banks spent the 2014 season as Virginia’s running backs coach and special teams coordinator. Before that, he held the same title at University of Texas-El Paso from 2004-2012.
A native of Upland, Calif., Banks was a two-year letter winner as a punter at Washington State. He posted a 42.8-yard average as a junior and 43.4 as a senior. He led the Pac-10 and was 15th in the nation in punting as a senior for a Cougar team that went 10-2 and played Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Banks was selected to play in the Senior Bowl following his final collegiate season. He started his collegiate career at Citrus College in Glendora, Calif., where he was a first team all-conference kicker and punter.
Alabama has lost two assistants this season as defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt accepted the head coaching job at Tennessee while defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley took the defensive backs coaching position with the Oakland Raiders.
Alabama brought on former UTSA defensive coordinator Pete Golding last month and will have one more coaching position available after the hiring of Banks.