Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
When you think of Brandon Banks what comes to mind first?
The man affectionately known as ‘Speedy’ made himself a fan favourite in Hamilton with flashy returns that could change a game in seconds.
Since his early days as a returner Banks has recreated himself as a top-end CFL receiver. Coming into Mark’s Labour Day 2018, Banks had the most receiving yards by a CFL receiver over the last full season while his six 100-yard games in 2018 led the league.
A couple of years ago I did a breakdown of where Banks was getting his yardage from to figure out ‘Who Is Brandon Banks?’
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In that examination I looked at combined yardage earned from kick returns, punt returns, receiving yards and rushing yards. In 2018 Banks has added a new dimension to his game which will never appear on a stat sheet but one that has made him a more complete player and even more beloved in Hamilton.
Blocking.
Wait, Brandon Banks as a blocker? The guys listed at five-foot-seven and weighs a favourable 165 pounds. How could you possibly argue he’s a good blocker?
It has surprised me as much as anyone this season but the reality is Banks has learned under June Jones tenure of the last 365 days how to add blocking to his skill set despite a natural size disadvantage, a reality Banks himself knows as well as anyone.
“Everybody knows the stature of football players, you have to be big to deliver big blows but I have a little bit of little man syndrome. I take pride in finding contact and proving to people I can take a hit and deliver a blow too. I take pride in being tough.”
It could be argued that pound-for-pound Banks is one of the toughest players in the Canadian Football League, more willing now than ever to get his hands on an opponent if it can help Hamilton make a game changing play.
Over the first ten games of Hamilton’s 2018 season there have been at least three instances of Banks helping fellow receiver Luke Tasker reach the end zone by either directly blocking an opponent or running alongside as a human shield.
The first came in Week 2 in Edmonton when Tasker caught a crossing route and turned upfield. Banks contemplated blocking back towards his own one of scrimmage – a penalty for a peel back block as of 2018 – but decided against it.
Instead he went searching for work, eventually getting. Piece of Edmonton defensive back Aaron Grymes as Tasker reached the goal line.
While Banks didn’t exactly deliver a knockout blow on the play Ticats Head Coach June Jones said Wednesday after practice this week that type of play is exactly what has made ‘Blocker Banks’ effective in 2018.
“He’s so competitive, and he has bought into getting to the next level, getting his hands in the right place and working to wash defenders out of the play. I named him player of the game for his blocks a couple of weeks ago in a game where he didn’t have very many touches.”
So where did Banks start to pick up this skill from? In his own words, this seemingly new skill has always been part of his game.
“It’s a mentality I’ve had since being a kid. It’s my mentality of being a dog, thats what we call it. I’m five-foot-seven but I want to play like I’m six-foot-seven. I always want to play big than I am.
“In high school I had a crack back block that got my whole team excited, dude was a good size and I knocked him off his feet. I had one at Kansas State too when we played Kansas that everybody loved, sideline went crazy on that one.”
There is something so pure and fun about having a small receiver make a big block to spring other teammates success. What makes it that much more appreciable to CFL fans is the understanding that Banks spent so long relying on blocks to spring him for those big returns. Now he’s returning the favour at a shocking rate.
The next big block for a Tasker touchdown came in Week 11 against those same Edmonton Eskimos victimized by the mighty mouse blocker in Week 2.
Again Banks wheeled around to find work at the next level for Tasker and the Tiger-Cats. On this play you can really see Banks blocking development in the way he gets his hands in the right place and rides the defender out of the camera.
While Brandon’s success as a receiver has come in June Jones’ system, his success as a blocker has come from special teams coordinator Frank Ganz Jr.
“I get a lot of my blocking skill from this saying Coach Gansz has which is ‘next level fast’. Every time Tasker catches the ball I’m thinking next level fast to help will Tasker to the end zone.”
Banks marquee block of 2018 came this past Monday on Labour Day as he – once again – helped Tasker into the end zone.
The old adage that you don’t have to be a stop sign, just a speed bump has never been more true than in this situation for Banks but he showed why Hamilton fans now believe their diminutive pass catcher can get physical with anybody.
For all his success blocking this year Banks still knows what his primary duty is, to score touchdowns and put up big yardage totals for Jeremiah Masoli and the Hamilton offence. Something he also did on Labour Day while absorbing a blow even a big bodied receiver would feel the day after.
Since Labour Day of 2017, Banks has been one of the CFL’s best players and he only continues to develop and improve. For a man who had one of his careers greatest moments taken away in the 2014 Grey Cup due to an illegal block it would be ironically sweet to have Banks make a big block in a Grey Cup this season.
As Head Coach June Jones says, don’t count ‘Blocker Banks’ out, ever.
“Brandon runs a marathon for us every game in this offence so for him to be able to work hard without the ball is pretty amazing.”
