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P R E V I E W Banks looking to put down roots at Penn State | P enn State hired Tim Banks as its new co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach in January, but it wasn't until the end of February that his schedule slowed down enough to allow for introductory interviews. "It's been busy but it's been fun," Banks told Tony Mancuso of GoPSU- sports.com. "Everyone has been really gracious around the community. The re- cruits have been great. Everyone is in- terested in Penn State. It's been a whirl- wind but it's been truly fun." Banks focused on recruiting after join- ing the Penn State staff, but now he's turning his attention to spring practice. He said he's passionate about helping his players make the most of their po- tential. "I think most of my players say I'm pretty intense. But I'm fun-loving and I'm fair. I think as a student-athlete, that's really all you want, a guy who has your best interests at heart on the field and off the field," he said. "When I'm on the field, I'm pretty focused, I'm pretty intense. But obviously when you step out of those lines, I'm Coach Banks and they like to joke around and enjoy it. "To me, relationships are everything. The more they trust you, the more they allow you to take them to places that they can't get to by themselves. That's really been something I've always prided myself in doing, and it won't be any dif- ferent here." Based on film study and his observa- tion of winter workout sessions, Banks' initial impressions of the Nittany Lions' safeties have been positive. He praised their work ethic and said he's looking forward to bringing in even more of those types of student-athletes as the coaches turn their attention to the Class of 2017 and beyond. Banks said his ideal safety is "a guy who's extremely tough and is extremely sharp. He's really an extension of us as coaches. They're quarterbacks out there, so they should definitely be tough mentally and physically, and he should be a guy who's able to communicate out there. I saw a lot of that on film, so I feel like we've got a few good ones in this program, and I'm sure there will be some more that we'll be able to recruit. But I really, really feel good about the guys we've got right now on our team." Banks, a Detroit native and a two- time All-Conference cornerback at Central Michigan, said he's looking to put down roots in the Penn State com- munity following career stops at Bowl- ing Green, Ferris State, Memphis, Maryland, Cincinnati and Illinois. Call- ing wife Robin "a trooper," he said he's excited about this latest chapter in his career. "I've moved around quite a bit," he said. "Any time you're trying to grow in this profession, that tends to happen. But I'm hoping to lay some roots here and be here a little bit longer. But I was in Detroit and had a chance to coach in the Big Ten for the last couple of years, so I'm very familiar with this confer- ence, and obviously it's one of the pre- mier conferences in the country. "To be able to play or coach at one of the premier universities in the country, I mean, who wouldn't want to be a part of that?" Regrettable' decision prompts reflection Tim Banks was part of Illinois' coach- ing staff in 2012, the same year the NCAA waived its transfer restrictions to allow Penn State players to leave the program in the aftermath of the Sandusky scandal. Immediately, coaches from rival pro- grams began bombarding Nittany Lion players with phone calls to gauge their interest in transfering, but only one staff came directly to State College to recruit. And that was the Illini. Despite being part of that staff, Banks said he hasn't heard of any lingering re- sentment among the handful of PSU players who remain from the 2012 team. "They welcomed me with open arms," he said. "It's been an honor just being around the young men. Obviously, that was a situation that was greatly regret- table for all parties involved from the top of the administration to the coaching staff. It was a unique situation at the time. I think if I had a chance to do it again, it would've been done differently." – T.O. THE BANKS FILE HOMETOWN Detroit, Mich. ALMA MATER Central Michigan, '95 COACHING EXPERIENCE Has been in collegiate coaching for 20 years with stops at the following schools: Illinois (2012-15), Cincinnati (2010-11), Central Michigan (2007-09), Maryland (2003-06), Memphis (2001-02), Bowling Green (1999- 2000), Ferris State (1997-98), Bowling Green (graduate assistant, 1996) PLAYING CAREER Was a four-year letterwinner at Central Michigan, a two-time sec- ond-team All-Mid-American Conference cornerback and a co-captain of the Chippe- was' 1994 MAC championship team FAMILY Wife, Robin '

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