Just a few years ago, Tony Banks was a minor-league pitcher nursing a long-shot dream of making the major leagues. But a rotator-cuff injury ended his baseball career in 1992 after only two years in the Minnesota farm system.
This week, Banks has another grand dream: He wants to lead Michigan State past Notre Dame Saturday in Spartan Stadium. The 21-year-old is the Spartans’ starting quarterback, and he doesn’t mind that the eighth-ranked Fighting Irish figure to be angry after losing to Michigan 26-24 last weekend.
“We want to beat up on them by more than two points,” he said.
Banks is one of the unlikelier Spartans in recent years. He grew up in San Diego and, after his baseball career ended, was heavily recruited by schools in southern California. But he said he decided to come to Michigan State because he liked the coaches and players and because he thought the Spartans would take him home for a Rose Bowl or two.
Though he completed only 46 percent of his passes in junior college, his rifle arm (shoulder surgery was a success) and size (6 feet 6-inches and 225 pounds) sold Spartan coaches desperate to replace departed star Jim Miller.
Banks arrived here amid much hoopla and soon was cast in some circles as a potential saviour of a program that hasn’t satisfied alumni yearning for yesteryear’s glory.
But the excitement waned considerably in a 17-10 season-opening loss at Kansas. Banks completed only eight of 22 passes for 71 yards. He threw two interceptions and missed a wide-open receiver deep in Jayhawk territory on Michigan State’s final thrust.
It was a rough debut for Banks, who has only played against juco defenses. “There are just so many different looks” in Division I-A, he said.
Coach George Perles predicted Banks will make a jump from his first game to his second. And the coach admitted he might have to open up his offense to take advantage of Banks’ arm and discourage defenses from stacking the line on first and second down, as Kansas did with much success.