ISU DB to miss Insight Bowl game

[Anderson8284]

http://www.kcci.com/sports/22005690/detail.html

This is a link to one of the Des Moines TV station web-sites. Kannard Banks is not the Cyclones' best defensive player, but he is pretty good, and they will miss his presence. Anyone remember Trumaine Banks missing one of our Bowl games a few years ago (Sun Bowl?) due to the ubiquitous "violation of unspecified team rules"? Weird coincidence.

Being a college football coach is a tough job sometimes.:)

[gophergrad]

I'd be interested in some reaction from those ISU fans that come on here every now and again.

[ISU_phoria]

I'd be interested in some reaction from those ISU fans that come on here every now and again.

It's definitely going to hurt. ISU has very little depth at CB. Most ISU fans would probably come on here and say "good riddance, we don't need him." Banks isn't a fan favorite: he was in trouble earlier this year and has had multiple occassions where personal fouls extended opponents' possessions (see link below). Banks likes to take a lot of chances and has a tendancy to get burned.

But, he was still the best option and ISU is probably going to have to fill in by committee. As I mentioned, that position was already a bit of a weakness, so I would guess the Gophers could exploit Banks' absence.

http://www.cyclonefanatic.com/forum/football/75739-banks-out-insight-bowl.html

[StPaulCyclone]

Not doubt about it, this will impact the game. Opposing offenses tended to pick on him, versus our other CB. However, he was a starter for a reason. I mentioned in an early post that his backup (and starting NB) has just returned from a fractured leg (NU game) and a car accident over the Thanksgiving holiday. He is a Soph, but is obviously tough. He is going to need to step right in, along with a former walk-on and a true Fr.

Ironically, we had two reserve DBs leave the team early in the season, over lack of playing time. What happened the moment they were gone...injuries and a 1/2 game suspension. The playing time was there, had they been patient. Both players were experienced upper classman (Sr and Jr). Sad that a unit that started the season with arguably the most depth is one that now suffers from a lack of depth.

Sigh. :(

[gophergrad]

Interesting stuff. Especially about the two backups leaving and then time becoming available. If ISU can get pressure on Weber it might not matter who you have in coverage, on the other hand we could come out and light up Tempe. That's the kind of consistency we've been all about this year. Like myself and others have said I think the real matchup will be in the running game. For both teams, whomever can establish the run will have the better chance to win this game.

[StPaulCyclone]

They haven't been able to get much pressure with the front 7 all season. They have been able to by blitzing with a NB of CB. I am not sure they will be able to due that with the current DB depth and inexperience though.

Our offense line is good, though I seem to recall that we might be down a starter. Our running back struggled with an injury since the end of the Army game, but still ran for over 1000+. After the Iowa debacle, the coaches did a better job of tailoring the offense to the players we have and not forcing it. As a result, the offense has been a run-first, spread offense.

[StartGrayPlz]

This would be a big deal if the Gophers' pass game was any good.

[charlesbenjamin7]

well that will net us 17 more yards passing

[Al_4_State]

We lose Banks, but Terran Benton is back, and many felt that there was basically a wash between the two. Benton is a better cover guy, but Banks was a big hitter, definitely a better hitter than most CBs. Depth is the big thing here. We run a lot of Nickle and, we'll probably have either a freshman with little experience playing there (Reeves/Washington), or a sophomore who's fairly limited (O'Connell). Like others have said, he was the starter for a reason, but I think that reason was ability to hit and his physical presence. Weaker cover skills, but an aggressive player.