The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 1/1 Football’s Banks named Outland Trophy National Player of the Week
10.15.2024 | Football
The junior left tackle earned the Outland Trophy’s National Player of the Week award on Tuesday.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas football junior left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. was named the Outland Trophy's National Player of the Week, the Football Writer Association of America announced Tuesday. It is his first career weekly honor by the Outland Trophy.
In addition to that honor, Banks was also named the outright SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for the second time this season on Monday. Banks previously garnered weekly praise from the conference office on Sept. 30 following Texas' 35-13 triumph over Mississippi State on Sept. 29 to open league play.
Banks was pivotal in No. 1/1 Texas' 34-3 win over No. 18/16 Oklahoma on Oct. 12. With the victory, Texas has started the season 6-0 for the first time since 2009.
Banks, who entered the season on the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award preseason watch list, was the highest graded player on an offensive line that paved the way 406 total yards, including 177 on the ground 229 in the air in the win. Banks did not allow a sack or a quarterback pressure from his left tackle position, while the line only gave up one sack against an Oklahoma defense that ranked fifth in the nation in sacks (3.6 per game) entering the game. The Humble, Texas, product helped the UT offense average 5.9 yards per rush, gain 177 net rushing yards and 189 gained rushing yards against a Sooner defense that entered the game allowing only 105.6 rushing yards per game. Texas recorded 222 yards of offense (113 rushing/109 passing) and averaged 10 yards per play during a 21-point second quarter. The Longhorns' 259 points through six games are its most since 2005 (274) while Texas has scored at least 30 points in every game this season, including three 50-plus point performances.
He anchors a Longhorn offensive line that was tabbed to the Midseason Honor Roll for the Joe Moore Award last week. Banks is the left tackle of an offense that offense that ranks seventh in the nation in both scoring offense (43.2 ppg) and total offense (495.7 ypg). The unit also ranks 11th in passing offense (306.7 ypg), ninth in completion percentage (70.8 percent) and top 20 in sacks allowed at 14th (1.00 spg).
Banks has started all 33 games during his UT career and was a preseason First-Team All-America by the Associated Press, CBS Sports, ESPN, Sporting News and The Athletic entering this season. He was a second-team All-American last season by the American Football Coaches Association and anchored a Texas offensive line that was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award. In 2022, the FWAA selected Banks as a Freshman All-American.
This week, Banks and Texas clash with No. 5/4 Georgia at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 19, inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game will broadcast on ABC with Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Holly Rowe (sideline) and Katie George (sideline) on the call. ESPN's College GameDay will be on the University of Texas campus for the 10th time on Saturday. The show will air for three hours from 8 to 11 a.m. CT, hosted by Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and other ESPN personalities.
