Caleb Banks Giving Louisville 'Untapped' Potential at Nose Tackle

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Over the last few years, one of the sore spots that has persisted on the Louisville football program's roster has been at nose tackle. Ever since Sheldon Rankins was taken in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Cardinals have struggled to generate true disruption on opposing backfields from the middle of the defensive line.

With Louisville losing two of their three rotational players at nose, including regular starter Malik Clark, it would be natural for fans to assume this trend could carry on into the 2022 season. But, there's a chance the nose tackle spot could see a turnaround next season, and that's because of Caleb Banks.

A Class of 2021 prospect, Banks saw almost no time on the field last season as a true freshman, only making in appearance in garbage time of the 41-3 blowout win over Syracuse. He gave Louisville plenty of length at 6-foot-7 and was the tallest player on the team, but was still adjusting his body to the college level, hovering around 265 pounds for most of that season.

Heading into his redshirt freshman year, the Southfield, Mich. product has the chance to be a completely different playmaker. Banks has added massive amounts of weight and strength, ballooning to 303 pounds - which is 18 pounds heavier than Dez Tell, who he will be primarily fighting for reps. This all comes without costing any of the burst or agility he previously had.

"Caleb's done a good job," defensive line coach Mark Ivey said during spring ball. "Caleb is kind of an oddity, because at that size, to be able to move around like he does, is kind of strange. He's very athletic for a man of that body size. There's a lot of things he's going to be able to do. He is truly untapped right now. He's just starting to figure out what he can be as a football player."

Fire up the film from his days at Southfield A&T, and you can see what Ivey is talking about. Even at his high school weight of 255 pounds, Banks is still a mammoth human being, but also moved incredibly well and was an overwhelming force. That play style also shows in up Banks' overall attitude and approach to football, which Ivey is trying to harness and unleash on the gridiron.

"He's got a real fire and a real passion, he got he's got an anger inside of him, which is a good thing, as long as you can harness it and point it in the right direction," Ivey said. "That's what we're working on, is channeling that that fire towards winning football plays, and not being upset about things. That's just part of being young, man. I think everybody's got some of that, not just Caleb. But he's done a good job."

Of course, he's not going to just be handed the starting nose tackle job. Louisville returns Tell, who was a co-starter alongside Clark last year, as well Henry Bryant and Jared Dawson. True freshman Tawfiq Thomas will also be making it to campus this summer.

But, at the very least, Banks gives them a promising option at nose tackle. How he develops over the summer and into fall camp remains to be seen, but it will be something to monitor as the season gets closer.

"For him, it's just getting in the mix and getting consistent there at the nose, and making plays from that position," head coach Scott Satterfield said at the start of spring ball. "He's a guy that I think can be one of those guys that, by the end of the spring, be one of our better defensive linemen. But he's got to show that each and every day.

"Just gonna be up to him to bring that toughness that you're gonna have to have playing nose. You're getting double teamed a lot in there between the centers and the guards, how tough can you be to be able to fight through that, and keep getting better?"

Louisville finished the 2021 season with a mark of 6-7 and 4-4 in the ACC, including a 31-28 loss in the First Responder Bowl against Air Force. The Cardinals will kickoff the 2022 season at Syracuse on Saturday, Sept. 3.

(Photo of Caleb Banks, Jacquies Turner: Sam Upshaw Jr. - Courier Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC)

You can follow Louisville Report for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:

Facebook - @LouisvilleOnSI
Twitter - @LouisvilleOnSI
Instagram - @louisville_report

You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter

Add us as a preferred source on Google