Noah Banks to end his football playing career

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida offensive lineman Noah Banks is officially hanging up the cleats after attempting to make a comeback during fall camp.

Banks had been sidelined for months due to an epileptic episode he suffered in bowl practices leading up to the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl in December and did not rejoin the team in practices until fall camp. According to a post he made on Instagram, Banks suffered another minor episode this week in practice, causing him to re-evaluate his future in football.
"As most of you already know I’ve been living with epilepsy for about 6 or 7 years now," Banks wrote. "For several years after my first 2 episodes I didn’t experience anything else. Unfortunately within the past year and a half or so it’s seemed to come back around. I sat out this past spring and got cleared in the summer to come back. Unfortunately earlier this week after a normal practice I had another minor episode."
Banks had been a player that Florida had hoped could contribute some additional depth to an offensive line replacing four starters from last year's unit. He had the ability to play both guard and tackle and figured to be a key backup at either spot if healthy.

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JessN said:

Thanks for linking this. I won't edit the main thread since it was correct at post time.

This is an issue Brett and I were discussing in email last week. I try to wait as late as I can to get rosters correct, but with the Transfer Portal especially coming into play, it's almost useless to delay. There was a time we did these things back in July, for that matter.

I went ahead and started moving them out when I did because I like there to be a couple of weeks to digest previews before we start with the weekly stuff.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Former Louisville linebacker Jonathan Greenard has enrolled at Florida as a graduate transfer and will be eligible to play in 2019.
The 6-foot-4, 263-pounder from Hiram, Georgia, missed most of last season because of a wrist injury sustained in the opener. He led the Cardinals with 15.5 tackles for loss in 2017, including a team-high seven sacks, and was named a team captain last season.

Greenard played for current Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham as a redshirt freshman in 2016.
Greenard could help the Gators offset the loss of linebacker Vosean Joseph and perhaps pass-rushers Jachai Polite and CeCe Jefferson. Joseph and Polite left school early to enter the NFL draft. Jefferson was a senior.

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2018: Played in just three games (Charleston Southern, Kentucky, Colorado State) before sustaining a season-ending knee injury… Earned a medical redshirt… Totaled 61 yards on 13 carries and three receptions for 33 yards before he went down… 2017: Played in seven games, starting two before suffering a season-ending injury against Georgia… Ranked second on the team in rushing, totaling 526 yards on 79 carries and two touchdowns… Despite the injury, he ranks fourth in UF’s history for the most net rushing yards by a true freshman since 1996 as he’s behind Earnest Graham (654 yards, 1999), Jeff Demps (605 yards, 2008) and DeShawn Wynn (540 yards, 2003… Recorded five games with 90+ yards, including a career-high 124 against Vanderbilt… In the Vanderbilt game, Davis became the first true freshman in the SEC to have two rushing touchdowns in a game… He also became the first true freshman in UF history to rush for over 100 yards and two touchdowns in a game since Jeff Demps do so against Arkansas (Oct. 4, 2008)… Earned SEC Freshman of the Week after that performance… Overall, he became the 17th UF true freshman since 1955 to rush for over 100 yards in a game... Ranked third in the SEC for most net rushing yards by a true freshman… Rushed for a career-long 72 yards against Tennessee… Caught seven receptions on the year for 58 yards, including a career-high two for 22 yards against Texas A&M… Named to the Coaches Freshman All-SEC Team.

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He’s healthy now and back for another try in 2019.

“It’s just humbling, because a lot of people take this game for granted,” he said. “But when you are out with an injury, it just makes you appreciate the game even more.
“It’s a great feeling (being back). I’ve been out for a while, two back-to-back injuries. People ask me all the time, ‘Oh what are your expectations, what do you want?’ I’m just happy to be back out there playing.”
Despite missing two seasons, Davis said he doesn’t feel he’s behind the other running backs — Lamical Perine, Dameon Pierson and Iverson Clement.
“No not really,” he said. “Not playing catch-up. Even though I was out, I stayed mentally focused. I wasn’t getting reps, but I was staying involved.”

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2018: After being named a Preseason Third Team All-SEC cornerback, Wilson only played and started in Florida’s first two games of the season before he sustained a season-ending injury in Week 2 vs. Kentucky… Recorded just one pass breakup during the limited time he saw on the field… Named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll… Earned a medical redshirt… 2017: Joined Joe Haden (2007), Janoris Jenkins (2008) and Marcus Roberson (2011) as the only four true freshman to start at cornerback on opening day in program history... Started all 11 games throughout the season at cornerback… Totaled 34 tackles and a team-high 10 pass breakups… Those 10 breakups were the most by a true freshman in Florida’s history since Vernon Hargreaves recorded 11 in 2013… Recorded a season-best seven tackles and three pass breakups against Tennessee… Tallied five tackles and one pass breakup at South Carolina… Named to the Coaches Freshman All-SEC Team.

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After bursting onto the scene as a first-year player, UF cornerback Marco Wilson was forgotten before his sophomore season really had begun.

Wilson tore the ACL in his left knee during Week 2 against Kentucky on the Wildcats’ second offensive play. The native of Fort Lauderdale then watched the Gators improve from four to 10 wins without him and sidekick C.J. Henderson establish himself as one of the SEC’s top cornerbacks.

With his knee back to 100%, Wilson is ready to remind people what they missed a season ago.

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