Oklahoma's Bob Stoops speaks for many Big 12 football coaches when he says he's glad to see Kansas State wide receiver Brandon Banks about to move on in life.
“I told him that after the game,'' Stoops said Monday, referencing OU's closer-than-expected 42-30 win over K-State.
“I put my arm around him and asked, ‘You're a senior, aren't you?' And he said, ‘Yeah.' I said, ‘I'm glad because I'm tired of watching you.'”
Banks, who caught five passes for 145 yards last year against OU, burned the Sooners' No. 6 in the nation defense Saturday night for nine catches and 156 yards.
And then there was his 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that cut OU's lead to 35-30 in the fourth quarter.
“I held my breath every time (we kicked to him),'' Stoops said. “We did a great job up until that one. We went to the well one too many times, and with his speed, he'll get you.''
That was Banks' fourth kickoff return for a touchdown this season, breaking the Big 12 record and bringing him within one of the NCAA single-season record of five set by Tulsa's Ashlan Davis in 2004.
For Banks' career, he has five kickoff return TDs — 98 yards vs. Nebraska in 2008; 91 and 92 yards vs. Tennessee Tech in 2009; 97 yards vs. Texas A&M in 2009; and 98 yards vs. Oklahoma in 2009.
That also puts him within one of the national record of six set by USC's Anthony Davis (1972 to '74) and tied by Tulsa's Davis (2004 and '05).
With Banks, you can't tackle what you can neither see nor catch up to.
At 5-foot-7 and 150 pounds (in reality, it's probably 5-5 and 140), Banks snuggles up to his blockers then hits warp speed when a crease appears.
“He's a little guy,'' Stoops said. “But with his speed, that's his advantage and he really uses it well.''
The Kansas State football history book shows a handful of premium return men in David Allen, Aaron Lockett, Andre Coleman and Mack Herron. Could Banks work his way to the top of that list?
“That's quite conceivable,'' KSU coach Bill Snyder said Monday. “He's certainly the fastest we've had.''
Banks, from Garner, N.C., was a 2006 USA Today national high school track All-American after clocking 10.42 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.42 in the 200.
College football options for Banks were limited because of his size, but his AAU track coach knew the football coach at Bakersfield (Calif.) College and got him a chance.
After catching six passes for 198 yards and four touchdowns in the California junior college title game in 2007, Banks got late interest from Kansas State and picked the Wildcats over San Jose State.
In 2008, Banks was the Big 12 offensive newcomer of the year with his 67 catches for 1,049 yards and nine touchdowns.
Still, at Banks' size, isn't Snyder concerned about him getting squished?
“No,'' the coach said. “Speed and athletic movement normally preclude guys from being as subject to injuries as others might.''
Snyder said former KSU All-America tailback Darren Sproles, now with the San Diego Chargers, faced a similar rap that he was too small to play.
“But he had the ability to change direction so well that it was hard to get a real solid hit on him,'' Snyder said. “And that's the way it is with Brandon.''
It's appropriate those two names got mentioned together Monday.
Sproles set the school record of 351 all-purpose yards in 2004 against Louisiana-Lafayette. It was matched Saturday. By Banks.
Reesing reeling
Just three weeks after Kansas' Mark Mangino touted senior quarterback Todd Reesing as a Heisman Trophy candidate, the coach yanked his four-year starter in the fourth quarter of a 42-21 loss to Texas Tech with the result somewhat in doubt.
Repeated questioning about that move during Monday's teleconference tested Mangino's patience.
“It was the appropriate thing to do,'' Mangino said at first. “No. 1, he wasn't getting great protection from the offensive line, and I didn't want him taking any more shots.
“No. 2, things weren't in sync for our whole offense, not just him. I felt it was in his best interest and the team's best interest to take him out for the last couple of series.''
Soon came another question about Reesing, whose seven turnovers in the past three games have led to 42 opponent points.
This time, Mangino said, “five dropped passes'' added to Reesing's problems.
Then came a third query about Mangino's tout of Reesing for the Heisman.
“That's exactly right,'' the coach answered dryly. “It's not his fault alone. As I just explained, we have problems with an offensive line that does not have a senior on it and is not progressing the way we want it.''
None of that is good news with the Jayhawks needing one more win for bowl eligibility, and remaining games at Kansas State, Nebraska at home, at Texas and with Missouri in Kansas City.
Praise for Crick
Baylor coach Art Briles knew that there was risk in pointing his offensive line toward combo-blocking Nebraska All-America tackle Ndamukong Suh and leaving the other tackle, Jared Crick, with some room to maneuver.
That decision led to Crick earning national defensive player of the week honors after collecting five sacks and 13 total tackles.
“It didn't surprise us at all,'' Briles said. “We got tape. We watched him. He's an excellent football player also. They got two guys in there who are real good, plus two good defensive ends.
“You've just got to take your medicine. We tried to slow down Suh as much as possible. We isolated 94 (Crick) a little, and he took advantage.''
Crick was so good at Baylor that Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads even took notice, and he's done with Nebraska for the season.
“That was no surprise to us,'' Rhoads said. “Their whole front seven might be in the shadow of Suh, and he's that good. But that entire defensive football team plays very well together.''
Contact the writer:
444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com
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