TJ Banks arrived at Ole Miss as the kind of prospect that usually stays home. A four-star defensive back from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, he picked the Rebels over Alabama, Auburn and other top-tier SEC programs.
Now Louisville is expecting him to bring that same pedigree into its secondary.
Banks is listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds and comes in as a junior. In 2024, he was mostly a special teams piece, logging 97 of his 145 snaps there.
Then 2025 became his chance to show more. His snap count doubled from the year before, and he carved out a role as a rotational defensive back on a team that reached the final four in the College Football Playoffs last season.
Most of that work came at free safety, where Banks handled the back end of the Golding defense. Louisville appears likely to use him in a similar way in Year One, rotating him into the secondary and giving him reps at safety alongside Entringer deep.
After spending time watching Banks, the expectation is that he can grow into the potential many saw in high school and become a useful part of the defense over the next couple of seasons. There’s also the obvious added wrinkle: he knows what Ole Miss wants to do. That kind of familiarity could matter in Game One, giving the Cards a little extra insight into how Golding likes to play certain situations.
Banks is more than just a source of inside intel, but if Louisville can get that too, it won’t complain.
In Other News...
Louisvilles Frontcourt Rebuild Just Got A Needed Preseason Boost
Louisvilles preseason schedule is now on the board, and it gives Pat Kelseys rebuilt roster a clear runway before the games count. The Cardinals will get an exhibition test against Kansas on October 21, then open the official season against Chattanooga on November 2, two early checkpoints for a team that has spent much of the offseason reshaping itself after losing most of its top players from last year.
For a frontcourt looking for stability, the encouraging news has come from two newcomers in Karter Knox and Obinna Ekezie Jr., who are making steady progress in their offseason recovery. Kelsey said both are moving ahead of where the staff expected at this stage, a welcome sign for a Louisville team that has leaned heavily on recruiting and transfers to rebuild the roster and needs every healthy body it can get as preseason work begins. [Read more 🡒]
Isaac Ellis Could Give Louisville A Freshman Spark Sooner Than Expected
Isaac Ellis has arrived at Louisville with the kind of reputation that tends to travel quickly around a program. The 6-foot-1 freshman guard comes in from Overtime Elite with a track record that includes league MVP honors, and the Cardinals are already talking about the blend he brings as he gets set for his first college season. Coaches and players have pointed to his competitiveness, defensive edge, scoring ability and playmaking as traits that should fit naturally into the way Louisville wants to play.
For a roster looking for fresh energy, Ellis could be one of the more intriguing names to watch before long. His path to campus came earlier than originally expected, and that only adds to the sense that Louisville may not have to wait very long to see what he can do. If his Overtime Elite production is any indication, the freshman spark might be there sooner than many around the program first assumed. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Looks Like A Real Week 1 Threat To Ole Miss
Louisville heads into Week 1 with some real intrigue after showing enough on both sides of the ball to make the opener at Ole Miss look a lot less comfortable than it might have a few months ago. The Cardinals have the kind of offensive juice that can travel, and their defense also gave them a sturdy enough baseline last season to suggest they are not just showing up as a warmup opponent for the Rebels.
Isaac Brown gives Louisville a big-play element out of the backfield, and the defenses overall efficiency should help keep the game from getting away early if the Cardinals settle in quickly. For a team still trying to prove it belongs in the conversation with a high-end SEC opponent on the road, this is the sort of matchup that can set the tone for the first month, even if the full answer to how far Louisville can push it will have to wait until Saturday. [Read more 🡒]