'12 WA OL Zach Banner (USC Verbal)

[Ironman8]

Offensive Tackle
Lakes HS / Lakes, WA

Ht: 6'9
Wt: 305

Stats:

Rankings:
ESPN: OT #18
Rivals: National #31
Scout: OT #11

Offers:
Notre Dame
Arizona State
Cal
Oregon
UCLA
Washington

ND Recruiter:

Decision Schedule:

 

[Irish Man3]

6'9"? What a monster! Hope that he has good technique and good footwork to go along with that massive frame.

 

[Ironman8]

Offered per ESPN:

Junior OL Banner picks up offer from Notre Dame - ESPN

"Notre Dame just offered me in football over the weekend," said Banner. "That's incredible and means a lot to me. It's pretty exciting to know that I have three tickets to any home game I want when some people have to wait 25 years for a ticket. For football, I now have Notre Dame, UCLA, Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Cal and Arizona State. Sept. 1 is right around the corner though and that's when you can officially get offered so hopefully that list blows up some.

"I haven't decided if I want to do both sports or just focus on football or basketball," said Banner. "Right now, I'm just enjoying the process and taking my time. It's still early for me so I want to see what all my options are before I decide what I want to do in college.

"I always saw myself as a football player first but I had a good AAU season this past summer and now I have great options in both sports. Things are going great right now and I'm pumped for football season to get here and ready to have a big season, that's my main focus right now.

 

[aubeirish]

There is a feature on him on ISD. He is basically saying he is very excited about Notre Dame. He seems to be really fond of Brian Kelly.

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

I hope kids dont just use us for tickets to games

 

[aubeirish]

I hope kids dont just use us for tickets to games

I don't know, I guess you never know until they sign. He said he had tears when he got the Notre Dame offer. He has a 3.7 GPA, which tells me at least he is somewhat of a smart kid... We'll see.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I don't know, I guess you never know until they sign. He said he had tears when he got the Notre Dame offer. He has a 3.7 GPA, which tells me at least he is somewhat of a smart kid... We'll see.

Tears huh...I've heard something like that before

 

[rtrn2glory]

New article on rivals updating his recruitment...profile lists a 4.6 40???!!!

That's simply incredible if true, but either way this is a massive prospect

 

[Ricochet]

New article on rivals updating his recruitment...profile lists a 4.6 40???!!!

That's simply incredible if true, but either way this is a massive prospect

BS, most of these 4.4 times are BS let alone the 4.3 and a 6'9 OL isn't running a legit 4.6. Hell 4.9 for an OL is awesome and if's running it at 4.9 at his size then he's truly a special athlete.

 

[Riddickulous]

And we thought Decker was huge.

 

[AdmiralBackhand]

Also plays basketball and is pretty good or was a part on a great team. Anyway, that could help with footwork and mobility.

 

[BGIF]

BS, most of these 4.4 times are BS let alone the 4.3 and a 6'9 OL isn't running a legit 4.6. Hell 4.9 for an OL is awesome and if's running it at 4.9 at his size then he's truly a special athlete.

Yeah, at 4.6 he'd be my starting TE.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

I don't have a premium subscription, but based on a headline from Scout, it looks like he has set up his official visit with the Irish.

Can anybody confirm? This would be awesome news.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

I live less than 25 minutes south of Lakes High School (Banner's High School) Zach is a stud. Fast, agile, athletic, etc. Watched him play at the high school state basketball tourney and he is legit. Also saw him dominate on the football field. He would be a great fit at ND.

Now saying that, I think there is little chance of him coming to ND. I think he is all Husky. UW has done a great job catching all the in-state studs. I mean all of them. Even one of the best backs that was verballed to Washington State Switched when the offer came from UW. And they already have an NFL back in Polk, a very good 2nd back, and Cooper a former 4 or 5* behind him.

So, UW is killing it with Washington Recruits. I think it is going to be really hard.

ND has lost out on a lot of Washington Players since Demetrius Debose and Lake Dawson. Kasen Williams is goint to UW, Jonathon Steward picked the Ducks, Austin Sefarian Jenkins chose the Huskies too.

Anyhow, don't mean to be a downer, but had to say my piece.

Go Irish!

 

[JDAtlanta]

I don't have a premium subscription, but based on a headline from Scout, it looks like he has set up his official visit with the Irish.

Can anybody confirm? This would be awesome news.

Scout has his visit for the U$C game. Can't say I blame him. That game's Visitor list will be extensive.

 

[rtrn2glory]

Scout has his visit for the U$C game. Can't say I blame him. That game's Visitor list will be extensive.

the game is going to be a huge recruiting weekend and a win in primetime would surely go a long way in recruiting.

 

[DillonHall]

the game is going to be a huge recruiting weekend and a win in primetime would surely go a long way in recruiting.

Win or lose, these types of games are always good for recruiting.

 

[jason_h537]

Even better this year since its a night game

 

[Couv Domer]

No new scoop (sorry), just a couple of comments. I was able to watch Zach play twice in the Washington State high school playoffs last year. He is as immense as advertised and quite fleet footed as well. Had a good, but not dominate game against an all-state DL opponent in quarter finals, and was very impressive in semis.

For those who may not know, Zach's biological father is Lincoln Kennedy, a former UW all-american tackle and later, a dominant all-pro. Hence his massive size. However, Ron Banner is the man whom Zach calls "Dad", and Ron and his wife have down a heck of a job raising Zach. He's a bright scholar and as humble as he is athletic.

As another poster mentioned, UW will be rolling out the red carpet to keep him in-state. However, he will most likely have carte blanche to choose any elite school/program in the country, so I believe the Irish have a pretty good shot. Getting him to agree to a campus visit this summer was huge (like him).

He'd be a dandy!

 

[JughedJones]

No new scoop (sorry), just a couple of comments. I was able to watch Zach play twice in the Washington State high school playoffs last year. He is as immense as advertised and quite fleet footed as well. Had a good, but not dominate game against an all-state DL opponent in quarter finals, and was very impressive in semis.

For those who may not know, Zach's biological father is Lincoln Kennedy, a former UW all-american tackle and later, a dominant all-pro. Hence his massive size. However, Ron Banner is the man whom Zach calls "Dad", and Ron and his wife have down a heck of a job raising Zach. He's a bright scholar and as humble as he is athletic.

As another poster mentioned, UW will be rolling out the red carpet to keep him in-state. However, he will most likely have carte blanche to choose any elite school/program in the country, so I believe the Irish have a pretty good shot. Getting him to agree to a campus visit this summer was huge (like him).

He'd be a dandy!

This is all I needed to hear.

Let's get this kid!!

 

[Old Man Mike]

Player sounds really good in every dimension. Hope he sees the value of the ND diploma.

 

[IrishLax]

Set OV to Notre Dame.

EDIT: Maybe old news, apparently he already said he was looking at the USC game for an OV, but there is an article up on B&G about his OV plans now.

 

[Ironman8]

Rivals: National #31
Scout: OT #11

 

[beryirish]

Update on him cutting his list.


Will definitely be on the list:

Washington (where daddy played)
Washington St. (mama's alma mater)
Notre Dame (because it is flippin awesome)
Michigan ("I guarantee I will be taking an official visit to Michigan")

Also likes Alabama, LSU, Oregon, and USC.

 

[rtrn2glory]

Update on him cutting his list.


Will definitely be on the list:

Washington (where daddy played)
Washington St. (mama's alma mater)
Notre Dame (because it is flippin awesome)
Michigan ("I guarantee I will be taking an official visit to Michigan")

Also likes Alabama, LSU, Oregon, and USC.

is this his opinion or yours...either way i likey

 

[beryirish]

is this his opinion or yours...either way i likey

It's mine...the italics don't show up as good.

It really said that he "already has an official visit scheduled" so I thought I would add what I think are his real thoughts...ha.

 

[jason_h537]

Well he already has his OV set so I think we should be safe

 

[Whiskeyjack]

There's an article up on on Rivals about Banner's desire to play both football and basketball at the next level.

I'd like to think this bodes well for us. ND's basketball program is more competitive than most (all?) of the schools he's considering.

 

[woolybug25]

There's an article upon on Rivals about Banner's desire to play both football and basketball at the next level.

I'd like to think this bodes well for us. ND's basketball program is more competitive than most (all?) of the schools he's considering.

Hopefully it doesnt go against us. While we have the best Bball team of the bunch, it also means that we have toughest team to become a starter on. I hope he is as competitive at bball as he seems for football. Because he wont have any easy road on the hardwood.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Brey always seems to have difficulty with depth --- that might be a plus. On the other hand, even when he DOES have depth he tends to revert to a 6 or 7 man rotation coach [I've assisted guys who just can't deal with a full roster during the actual games] and that could be a minus. On the third hand, having a big meathouse blaster is the easiest guy to deal with as far as spot substituting, so that could be a plus. On the fourth hand, playing football and taking ND academics is about the fullest plate in college, so that could be a minus. On the fifth hand ... well, fortunately, nothing has a fifth hand .... time for a nap.