Tag: jeff banks

Texas Longhorns coach and exotic dancer Pole Assassin marry 3 years after viral monkey bite incident

Love has never been more alive

No matter how the Texas Longhorns inaugural season in the SEC winds up, special teams coach Jeff Banks will be exiting 2024 with a brand new ring on his finger.

It just so happens to be a wedding band.

The special teams and tight ends coach in Austin recently married longtime partner Danielle Thomas — better known by her stage name, Pole Assassin — according to Banks’ Instagram page.

If that name sounds familiar, it’s likely because you remember hearing about a wild incident with Thomas’ emotional support monkey allegedly biting a trick-or-treater back on Halloween in 2021.

Here’s a quick reminder from FTW’s story on the controversy as it unfolded:

While the allegations suggest the Bankses’ monkey injured a trick-or-treater, Thomas was quick to dispel rumors of an aggressive attack. However, she did acknowledge an incident involving a child and the family’s pet (as seen in the screenshot above).

Thomas claimed in a now-deleted video posted Monday night the family’s monkey was caged in a gated area behind the home no one was allowed to access.

“I don’t even play when it comes to my animals and I know all the legal rules on them,” Thomas said in the video while showing a do-not-enter/no-touching sign on the gate. “How could she viciously bite someone if they don’t stick their hand in there where it don’t belong? This is her home and her home only … Don’t touch. No one’s allowed back here without my permission.”

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It does not appear the monkey received an invitation to the ceremony, which is probably for the best. The three deserve to celebrate together in the comfort of their home.

LOOK: Photos of Texas players during first day of fall camp

Texas held its first practice of fall camp on Wednesday.

Texas held its first practice of fall camp on Wednesday. Continue reading “LOOK: Photos of Texas players during first day of fall camp”

Texas TE coach Jeff Banks downplays Longhorns’ visit to Tuscaloosa in September

Former Alabama assistant and current Texas tight ends coach Jeff Banks had something interesting to say when asked what he had told his team in preparation of the Alabama-Texas game in September.

Former Alabama assistant and Texas tight ends coach Jeff Banks downplayed the Longhorns’ visit to Tuscaloosa in September when he was asked by the media.

Banks was Alabama’s special teams coordinator and tight ends coach from 2018-2020.

He joined former Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian’s staff at Texas in 2021. Since then, he has served as Texas’ associate head coach, tight ends coach, and special teams coordinator.

“We’re just going to play another road game. Just as hard in Kansas and Iowa State and it is going to be in Tuscaloosa. It’s just bigger and more people,” Banks said.

Comparing playing Alabama to facing Kansas and Iowa State is an interesting choice. It being bigger with more people in attendance seems like it would make it very different than playing the Jayhawks and Cyclones.

This is a game between two of the biggest brands in college football that could impact the College Football Playoffs. The eyes of the nation will be on Tuscaloosa as the Longhorns seek revenge, while the Crimson Tide looks to reclaim the throne.

Alabama is scheduled to face Texas in Week 2 of the 2023 season. In 2022, the Crimson Tide defeated the Longhorns 20-19 in a tightly-contested battle. The much-anticipated matchup just got that much more interesting with Banks’ statement.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the Alabama football program.

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Jeff Banks downplays playing at Alabama in major way

Did Jeff Banks add fuel to Alabama’s fire?

With college football nearly 30 days away many people are circling Texas’ Week 2 matchup against Alabama as one of the biggest games of the year.

Both schools are projected to be top-15 teams in the country, and they both have playoff aspirations. Alabama got the best of Texas in Austin last season, but it’s a game that Longhorns fans look back on as one that the team very well could have won. Texas ended up being without quarterback Quinn Ewers, who went down in the first quarter with an injury, and there were some controversial calls along the way.

Doing their part in the home-and-home series, Texas will head to Tuscaloosa this season. A game that will be played in front of a hostile sellout crowd of over 100,000. An environment that Texas doesn’t face much against other Big 12 schools, but one that many of the staffers in Texas are familiar with being that a handful of them came over from Alabama when Steve Sarkisian was hired.

One of those coaches is special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Jeff Banks, who was attempting to make the game seem like it was any other game on the schedule. He have gotten too bullish. When talking to the media, Banks claimed that playing at Alabama would be just like playing at Iowa State or Kansas.

A statement that has since been making its rounds on the app X, formerly known as Twitter, with many fans questioning if it is disrespectful to Alabama.

Neither team will need any more motivation for that matchup, but this is certainly a comment that Alabama fans will be holding on to. If Texas does in fact lose the game, be ready for this statement to be brought up everyday for the rest of time.

Why Texas assistants likely welcome additions to the coaching staff

Texas assistants, secure in their ability to coach, probably welcome the big name special assistant hires.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is swinging for the fence with his latest coaching hires. Understandably, some wonder the effect it will have on the rest of the staff.

It’s important to understand what role the new additions will play. They will simply supplement what Texas has in place. The current assistants already do their jobs well. The new hires will just add another viewpoint.

Texas assistants Kyle Flood and Jeff Banks are among the best coaches at their positions. Given their track record of excellent recruiting, they probably know their value. However, having two great minds to brainstorm an issue is better than having one.

It can be much easier to solve someone else’s problems than one’s own. That’s what these hires will help primary assistants to accomplish. New offensive assistant Paul Chryst might have the ability to zoom out to troubleshoot from afar while offensive line coach Kyle Flood makes adjustments up close.

Secure coaches aren’t intimidated by additions to the coaching staff. Great coaches will take all the help they can receive. If recent hires mesh well with the current staff, Texas could reach another level this season.

Why Holmon Wiggins and Ra’Shaad Samples would both be good hires for Texas WR coach

Can Texas really go wrong with Holmon Wiggins or Ra’Shaad Samples?

Holmon Wiggins are Ra’Shaad Samples each are linked as top targets for the Texas wide receiver coach opening. In my estimation, both would be huge wins for Texas. Continue reading “Why Holmon Wiggins and Ra’Shaad Samples would both be good hires for Texas WR coach”

Texas special teams gives Nick Saban another game planning distraction

Jeff Banks’ punt return unit may demand careful attention from Alabama this week.

Jeff Banks is one of the best special teams coordinators in college football. His ingenuity was on full display from the first punt return opportunity.

After forcing a three-and-out on the first defensive series, Texas sent its legion of speed to the ULM punter. D’Shawn Jamison ran through the punter before he could get the kick into the air. Keilan Robinson scooped up the football and scored, giving Texas seven points before the offense saw the field.

The aforementioned legion of speed doesn’t only attack punts. Alabama head coach Nick Saban noted Xavier Worthy’s 15 yards per return as something to watch.

Football isn’t necessarily a game of inches anymore, but winning the overlooked facets of the sport can dramatically improve win probability. You can’t win a game with special teams, but if it’s poor it can be the reason you lose.

Jeff Banks’ punt return unit may demand careful attention from Alabama this week. Should they ignore it, Texas could strike again on Saturday.

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Pete Kwiatkowski, Jeff Banks and Kyle Flood spoke with the media on Tuesday

Rare media day for these three, and they had plenty of topics to cover.

Texas football players reported for fall camp on Tuesday. Continue reading “Pete Kwiatkowski, Jeff Banks and Kyle Flood spoke with the media on Tuesday”

Texas offers 2023 Mater Dei tight end Spencer Shannon

Texas offers Mater Dei’s tight end Spencer Shannon.

Steve Sarkisian and tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Jeff Banks extended an offer to 2023 tight end Spencer Shannon this week.

Shannon was on campus over the weekend for the Orange-White spring game. He spoke about his trip and what the Texas offer meant to him with 247Sports Greg Biggins.

That was really exciting for me. I’ve been talking with coach Banks a lot and he told me he wanted to offer me earlier but when he heard I was coming to visit, he thought it would be better to offer in person and it definitely made it special.

The three-star prospect from Mater Dei is quickly rising up the recruiting ranks. Shannon has picked up recent offers from the likes of Texas, UCLA, Notre Dame and Stanford.

Shannon’s 6-foot-7, 240-pound frame and athleticism provide him a high ceiling at the collegiate level. Texas likes to utilize the tight end position in their offense and Sark sees Shannon as an ideal fit for his scheme.

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Spencer Shannon’s Recruiting Profile