ASU #31 Pierre Banks
Class: Jr.
Hometown: Durham, N.C.
High School: Southern
Height: 6-0
Weight: 210
Position: LB
Birthdate: April 23, 1986
One of ASU’s leaders both on and off the field ... led the squad in tackles a season ago ... needed just three years to earn a bachelor’s degree in communication-electronic media/broadcasting ... is currently enrolled graduate studies and with two seasons of eligibility still remaining, expects to earn a Master’s degree by the end of his playing days as well.
2006:Led team and ranked ninth in the Southern Conference with 110 tackles on the season ... a second-team all-SoCon selection by the league’s media ... led team in tackles five times in 15 games ... racked up a team-best nine tackles and recovered a fumble in season-opening setback at NC State ... a week later, earned national weekly all-star recognition after making a career-high 16 stops and forcing a pair of fumbles in a 21-10 win over No. 12 James Madison ... paced a stauch defensive effort in 14-7 victory over Wofford with 14 tackles ... registered team-best 10 stops and only sack of season in 40-7 rout over No. 8 Furman ... forced a fumble and led ASU with eight tackles in win at archrival Western Carolina ... notched just four tackles but collected a QB hurry and pass break-up versus Montana State in national quarterfinals ... made six tackles (five solo), including one behind the line of scrimmage, in national-title victory over No. 3 UMass ... collected academic all-conference plaudits and ASU athletics academic honor roll recognition for efforts in the classroom.
2005: Made 57 tackles in 15 games, good for 11th on the squad ... made three starts (at Wofford, at LSU, at Elon) ... racked up 11 stops apiece in first-career starts at Wofford and before 90,000-plus at LSU ... had seven tackles, including one for loss, at Elon ... turned in perhaps his finest performance in national semifinal win versus Furman ... made six stops in win, including three on goal-line stand that kept the Paladins out of the end zone in the third quarter ... Banks was in on stops on first-and-goal from the 5 yard line, second-and-goal from the 4 and fourth-and-goal from the 1 to keep the Mountaineers within two points ... excelled in the classroom as an academic all-Southern Conference selection and member of ASU’s academic honor roll.
2004: Had limited playing time in early home contests versus Eastern Kentucky and The Citadel ... did not record a tackle before season ended due to injury ... excelled in the classroom as a member of ASU’s academic honor roll.
High School: A first-team all-state selection at Southern Durham H.S. ... also raked in 5-County 3A Player of the Year, area Player of the Year, first-team all-conference and all-area and team defensive MVP accolades as a senior ... coached by Gordan Walters ... also lettered in track and field.
Personal: Full name is Pierre Montray Banks ... born April 23, 1986 (20 years old) ... son of John A. Banks ... is the 15th of 16 children in his family ... majoring in communication-electronic media/broadcasting.
