The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football's Banks Jr. earns spot on Outland Trophy Award watch list
07.30.2024 | Football
The junior offensive tackle has been named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy, which is awarded annually to the nation’s top interior lineman.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas junior left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. was named to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Outland Trophy, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced Tuesday. The Outland Trophy is awarded annually to the nation's top interior lineman.
Banks Jr. is a third-year offensive lineman who has played in and started 27 games for the Longhorns. Heading into the 2024 season, Banks Jr. has hauled in preseason first-team All-SEC recognition on offense and a preseason second-team All-America selection by Phil Steele.
The Humble, Texas, product is coming off a sensational 2023 campaign where he was named Second-Team All-America by the Associated Press, All-Big 12 First Team by the conference's coaches, a Joe Moore Award semifinalist and an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection as Offensive Lineman of the Year. Playing in and starting all 14 games for the Longhorns at left tackle, Banks Jr. was part of an offensive line that blocked for Doak Walker Award semifinalist Jonathon Brooks and Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist Quinn Ewers. Anchoring one of the best offensive lines in college football, Banks helped open holes for running backs Brooks (1,158 yards), CJ Baxter (659 yards) and Jaydon Blue (398 yards). He blocked for the fifth running back duo in UT history with a 1,000- and 600-yard rusher. He helped Texas rack up 454 yards of total offense in the Longhorns' victory at No. 3 Alabama on Sept. 9, 2023, marking the program's first-ever win on the road against an AP top-three ranked program. In the Big 12 Championship game versus Oklahoma State, Banks Jr. and the offense totaled 662 yards of offense in the win – the seventh-most in program history.
Four Longhorns have previously won the Outland Trophy with defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat being the most recent after winning the prestigious award last season. Defensive tackle Scott Appleton brought home the award in 1963, while Tommy Nobis collected the trophy in 1965 and defensive tackle Brad Shearer won the honor in 1977. All four of Texas' Outland Trophy recipients are native Texans.
The FWAA will announce the Outland Trophy semifinalists on Nov. 20, and those players will then be paired down to three finalists announced on Nov. 26. The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from those finalists who will be part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.
The recipient of the 2024 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN on Dec. 12, 2024. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 22, 2025.
Banks Jr. and Texas kick off the season at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Aug. 31, at home against Colorado State. The game will air on ESPN from inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
