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Brandon Banks wants to be more than just the CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.
The Ticats’ return ace was as impressive in his third CFL season as he was in his first two, scoring four punt return touchdowns and combining for 1,712 yards on punt and kickoff returns.
Yes, when you think of the most electrifying player and best kick returner in the CFL, Brandon Banks’ name is the first that comes up – but no. 16 sees the potential for a lot more.
“I didn’t do enough for my team, that’s what I feel like,” said Banks. “I feel like I could have done more and I left plays out, but I’m satisfied.
“I stayed healthy for most of the season so I’m happy but I think I feel like I could have played a little bit better this season,” he added. “Last season I had a monster year with the numbers.”
This year Banks won the honour for the CFL’s top special teams player, last year he didn’t. But in many other ways 2015 was a step back.
Banks actually struggled on kickoff returns, his average dropping from 22.8 in 2013 and 23.4 in 2014 to 17.4 in 2015. This year he failed to score a touchdown on kick returns, while his longest return was 35 yards – despite getting a career high 45 opportunities.
On punt returns Banks fared much better, scoring a career-high four touchdowns and averaging 12.4 yards per return on 75 attempts for 950 yards – all career highs.
“The return game especially in the last four games, the return game for me I could have made better plays and better decisions,” said Banks. “I think my decision-making was off in the last three or four games.
“But as an all-around player, even at wide receiver I could have caught an extra pass for my team. But I’m OK, I’m satisfied. I’m not down on it, I’ll just learn from it.”
Then there’s that other side of the ball, the offensive side. The 27-year-old was deployed almost regularly as a receiver in 2014, catching 42 passes for 529 yards and five touchdowns. This year he was held to half that production, catching 22 passes for 220 yards and only one touchdown.
He says it’s on him to be in better shape, but the opportunity also has to present itself for him to play a greater role.
“I actually talked to my coach about that and we’re on the same page with it,” said Banks. “Hopefully the opportunity presents itself, I have to get myself in better shape so I can remain healthy and take a lot more hits than I do.
“Hopefully I do get more touches in the future.”
Banks became a free agent after the Ticats’ narrow Grey Cup loss in 2014 to the Calgary Stampeders, and he didn’t re-sign with Hamilton only to return kicks. He wants to become an offensive star in this league and believes he can be.
“Any time you sign a new contract, where you’re going to be for the next two or three years, you want to know the exact things you’re going to be doing and what you signed up for,” said Banks. “That’s what I signed up for, to get an opportunity on offence and to switch it up and play here and there and be 100 per cent ready on the return game.
“I talked to Kent and I’ve been put in a good situation to be successful so I’m happy.”
In the end, 2015 was a season Banks and the Ticats might like to forget but probably never will. They stormed out of the gate and were one of the league’s elite teams if not the best, but a torn ACL ended Zach Collaros’ season and the team never fully bounced back.
The Ticats never stopped fighting, but an Eastern Final loss to the REDBLACKS that went down to the wire ended their season – a loss in which one electrifying last-minute play going the wrong way proved to be the difference.
“We had a lot of adversity to overcome this year,” said Banks. “We had our quarterback go down, a lot of injuries and a lot of situations.
“We fought hard, we fought through a lot of battles and I’m definitely proud of our team.”
And after watching from the sideline as Greg Ellingson won the Eastern Final for Ottawa with a 93-yard catch and run, Banks is surely hoping next year that can be him – making game-changing plays not just on special teams but on offence.
“I think I can be an offensive star right now, I just have to get more opportunities than I’ve been given,” said Banks, who plans to get stronger over the off-season by eating healthier so he can take more hits.
“It comes down to me being a little bit healthier when the time presents itself,” he added. “It is what it is, I like where I’m at right now and I do hope I get more touches on offence though.”
