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AUSTIN, Texas – Texas football junior left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. has been selected as one of three finalists for the 2024 Outland Trophy, the Greater Omaha Athletic Commission announced Tuesday. did. The Outland Trophy is awarded annually to the nation’s best collegiate interior lineman on offense or defense.
Four Longhorns have won the Outland Trophy, which has been awarded annually since 1946. Most recently, defensive tackle Tyvondre Sweat won the award in 2024. Defensive tackle Scott Appleton took home the award in 1963, but guard Tommy Nobis won the award in 1965. Defensive tackle Brad Shearer won in 1977. All four Texas Outland Trophy winners are native Texans. Banks becomes the ninth finalist for the trophy in program history.
In addition to being named an Outland Trophy finalist, Banks was also named a Lombardi Trophy finalist and is part of an offensive line that is a Joe Moore Award semifinalist.
Banks is a third-year offensive lineman who has started 38 games for the Longhorns. The Humble, Texas, product earned multiple national honors this season, including Outland Trophy Player of the Week honors on Oct. 15 and SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors on Sept. 30 and Oct. 14. Awarded. In addition to preseason First Team honors, Banks was named to the Preseason All-America First Team by The Associated Press, CBS Sports, ESPN, Sporting News, and The Athletic. All-SEC by media and league coaches. He was also named to the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Trophy preseason watch lists.
Behind Banks’ veteran leadership on the offensive line this season, Texas ranked 12th nationally in team passing efficiency (160.71), 13th in completion percentage (0.676), 15th in scoring offense (36.5 points), and 17th in total offense (279.7) and 18th in total offense (44.94 ypg). This line has protected QB Quinn Ewers, who ranks 13th in passing TDs (23), 14th in points per game (16.2), 15th in completion percentage (0.680), 19th in completion percentage, etc. , also achieved the highest scores in the nation in several individual statistical categories. Passage efficiency (154.1). The Texas offense has rushed for 100 yards or more in 10 of 11 games this season, and has topped 200 yards three times since against ULM, Florida and Kentucky.
Through 11 games, Texas is averaging 36.5 points per game, 449.4 total yards per game, and 6.4 yards per play. His 6.4 yards per play ranks seventh in UT history, and his offense’s 270.7 passing yards per game ranks eighth. Last season, the offense finished third in total offense (477.5) and fourth in yards per play (6.67).
In the last two games against Kentucky and Arkansas, the Texas offense produced game-winning drives behind the offensive line. With Texas leading 24-14 in the fourth quarter against Kentucky, Banks and the line lasted 8 minutes, 22 seconds and led the way to an epic 15-play, 86-yard touchdown drive that consisted entirely of rushers. I cut it open. The drive started at 11:32 and ended at 3:10, giving them a 31-14 lead.
Against Arkansas, Texas was able to play the final 6 minutes and 55 seconds of the game, gaining four first downs in the process and denying Arkansas another possession, securing a 20-10 victory. .
The 2024 Outland Trophy winner will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards, which will be broadcast live on ESPN on December 12th. The formal presentation of the winners will take place at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner, sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Football Club. Omaha Sports Commission, Omaha, Nebraska, January 22, 2025.
This week, Texas concludes the regular season on the road at No. 20/19/15 Texas A&M at Kyle Field on Saturday, November 30th at 6:30pm CT. ESPN’s College Gameday, hosted by Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit and other ESPN personalities, airs Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. It will be broadcast live from the Texas A&M campus.
