Jeff Banks Position: Running Backs & Punters/Recruiting Coord Alma Mater: Washington State 1998

Jeff Banks wears four hats as a member of the UTEP staff. He coaches the running backs and punters, and also serves as the team's special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator.

Banks coached Marcus Thomas for the last four years, who ended his stellar career as the Miners' fifth all-time leading rusher with 2,615 yards. Thomas is also third in school history in rushing touchdowns (26), fourth in 100-yard games (11) and seventh in all-purpose yards (3,660). He put together a banner senior campaign in 2007, ranking ninth nationally in scoring (9.8 ppg) and 26th in rushing (106 ypg). Thomas' 16 rushing TDs tied for the second-top seasonal total in school annals, and his seven 100-yard rushing games were a UTEP record. He participated in two postseason all-star games, the East-West Shrine Game and the Hula Bowl.

Another of Banks' charges, Kyle Petersen, earned a spot on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team after punting 51 times for 2,075 yards (40.7 avg.) last season.

Banks coached a pair of 500-yard running backs in 2005. Late in the season, Thomas set a school record by rushing for 100 yards in four straight games. He ended the year with a team-leading 791 yards on 149 carries. Tyler Ebell, who began the year as the starting tailback before having his season cut short due to injury, still managed to earn third team All-Conference honors. He rushed for 536 yards, moving over the 2,000-yard mark for his career.

Banks' first season coaching the Miner running backs and punters was quite a success. He mentored Bryce Benekos, who finished seventh in the nation in punting, as well as Howard Jackson, who was 25th in the country in rushing. Both players earned first team All-WAC honors under Banks' tutelage. Jackson ended his career as UTEP's second all-time leading rusher with 3,466 yards. Both Benekos and Jackson signed NFL free agent contracts at season's end.

Banks had similar coaching assignments at Idaho State from 2001-03. With Banks on staff, Idaho State won a Big Sky Championship and had back-to-back eight-win seasons for the first time in 77 years. Banks tutored three All-Conference players in 2003 and helped running back Isaac Mitchell become the all-time touchdown leader in Idaho State history. Mitchell rushed for 1,851 yards from 2002-03.

In his three seasons at Idaho State, Banks was part of a Bengal offense that averaged over 400 yards and 28 points per game. Idaho State ranked in the top-16 nationally in total offense each of his three seasons.

Banks also tutored Eddie Johnson, who led Division I-AA in punting in 2001 and was taken in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft.

Banks began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Mike Price at Washington State, mentoring the Cougars' kickers and punters from 1999-00. He supervised the progression of Kareem Anderson and Rian Lindell, who later enjoyed stops in the NFL. Lindell is currently with the Buffalo Bills.

A two-year letterwinner as a punter at Washington State, Banks posted a 42.8-yard average as a junior and 43.4 as a senior. He led the Pac-10 in punting as a senior and registered a 53.0 average versus Boise State, earning him the national AT&T Long Distance Award for the week. He was selected to play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

He started his collegiate career at Citrus College in Glendora, Calif., where he was a first team All-Conference kicker and punter. Banks played his prep ball at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, Calif. He lettered in soccer as well as football. He was a member of Bishop Amat's state championship team, going 51-for-51 on extra point attempts.

He and his wife, Kori, have a daughter, Sydnei and a son, Tanner.