<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">He was the only cornerback in the SEC last season with at least 70 tackles and five interceptions.</span>
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">“Maybe I can do more this year, if that’s what it takes,” said Banks, who was a second-team All-SEC selection in 2011. “But we have a defense coming back that I think can be even better than we were last year. We’ve got just about our whole secondary back, and it hurts to lose Fletcher (Cox). But I’m excited to see what some of these new guys are going to do on the field. From what I’ve seen, I think Quay Evans and Denico Autry are going to live up to the hype.”</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">“We’ve got a lot of guys who can play football, and that’s one of the reasons I came back,” Banks said. “Some of the redshirt freshmen like (linebacker) Bernardrick McKinney and (cornerback)
Taveze Calhounare going to make an impact on this defense.”</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Mississippi State was the only major school to offer him a scholarship. Ole Miss sent him several letters, but Banks is quick to note that the Rebels never offered him a scholarship.
“Mississippi State was the only one, and that means something,” Banks said. “It still does. I want to make sure I give as much back as possible before I leave this place.”
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">“I’ve worked hard this offseason to get better at some of the things I wasn’t as good at,” said Banks, who needs five interceptions to pass Walt Harris as Mississippi State’s all-time leader in interceptions. “I still need to be more physical, and I still need to get better at studying tape. I’m going to be a better student of the game.”
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">“We have a chip on our shoulder,” Banks said. “Last year was pretty much a disappointment for us and our fans. We just didn’t have that edge for every game.
“We’ve got that dog back in us now, and I think it’s going to show on the field.”</span></div>
