Freddie Banks (American football)

Freddie Banks (born July 4, 1988) is an American college football coach who most recently served as the defensive coordinator for the Colorado State Rams. He played college football at North Dakota State.[1]

Freddie Banks
Biographical details
Born (1988-07-04) July 4, 1988 (age 36)
Harvey, Illinois
Alma materNorth Dakota State
Playing career
2006Mercyhurst
2007–2010North Dakota State
Position(s)Cornerback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2011–2012MN State–Moorhead (DC/DB)
2013–2014Nicholls State (DB)
2015Livonia HS (Louisiana) (DC)
2016–2018Midwestern State (DB/RC)
2018–2019Stephen F. Austin (DB)
2020Nevada (DB)
2021Montana State (DC)
2022–2024Colorado State (DC)

Playing career

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Banks graduated from Thornwood High School in South Holland, Illinois in 2006.[1] As a college freshman in 2006, Banks played as a cornerback at NCAA Division II Mercyhurst.[2] He recorded 33 total tackles, one interception and one forced fumble in his single season at Mercyhurst.[3] Banks transferred to North Dakota State following the 2006 season and sat out the 2007 season as a redshirt.[3] He played in all eleven games at cornerback during the 2008 season as part of a defense that led the NCAA Division I FCS in pass defense.[3] He saw limited playing time in 2009 before starting 12 games for the team in 2010, his senior season. He recorded 48 tackles, an interception and six pass breakups as part of North Dakota State's first ever NCAA Division I FCS playoff team.[2]

Coaching career

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Banks' coaching career began at NCAA Division II Minnesota State–Moorhead, where he coached defensive backs, eventually rising to the role of defensive coordinator.[4] After two seasons at Minnesota State–Moorhead, Banks was hired as the defensive backs coach for Nicholls State, where he remained for two years.[5] He then spent a year as defensive coordinator for Livonia High School in Livonia, Louisiana, before spending three seasons at NCAA Division II Midwestern State as defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator.[6]

Banks served as the defensive backs coach at Stephen F. Austin for the 2018 and 2019 seasons before being hired as Nevada's new defensive backs coach in 2020.[7] He was hired by Montana State as defensive coordinator the following year, and helped lead the team to an appearance in the 2022 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game.[8][9]

In 2022, Banks was hired as Colorado State's new defensive coordinator.[10] He had previously coached under Colorado State's head coach Jay Norvell when both were at Nevada in 2020.[11]

Personal life

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Banks is Married with two children

References

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  1. ^ a b "Norvell names Freddie Banks as Wolf Pack's cornerbacks coach". Nevada Athletics. January 30, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Reports: Montana State picks Nevada's Freddie Banks as DC; DL coach Byron Hout leaves". The Times Herald. February 16, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Freddie Banks (Cornerback)". North Dakota State Athletics. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  4. ^ "Report: Montana State defensive coordinator Freddie Banks heading to Colorado State". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. December 20, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  5. ^ "Nicholls Coach: Freddie Banks". Nicholls State Athletics. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  6. ^ "Midwestern Coach: Freddie Banks". Midwestern State Athletics. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  7. ^ "Nevada Football names Freddie Banks as defensive backs coach". SB Nation. January 30, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  8. ^ "Nevada's Freddie Banks, USC's Shawn Howe to join Montana State Bobcats' coaching staff". MontanaSports.com. February 16, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  9. ^ "Montana State defensive coordinator Freddie Banks to be hired by Colorado State". Missoulian. December 20, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  10. ^ "Montana State's Freddie Banks to join CSU football staff as defensive coordinator". Coloradoan. December 20, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  11. ^ "MSU's defensive coordinator accepts offer from CSU". NBC Montana. December 20, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2022.