Top 100 junior ready to commit
The Oregon Ducks look to start off big for 2008 after landing the No. 2 recruiting class in the Pac 10 in 2007. Blue-chip dual-threat quarterback Darius Banks of Culver City, Calif., has gotten plenty of attention but said Tuesday night that he is already ready to end the process early.
And that's good news for the Ducks.
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"I've been hearing a lot from Oregon and UCLA, but I'm going to end up committing to Oregon," Banks, who is ranked by Rivals.com as one of the top 100 juniors to watch, said.
"I haven't committed to them yet, but I'm pretty much committed. I'm going to take a trip first. I'm going to call them tonight to try and set up a trip and then as long as I like it out there I'm going to commit."
While there are many things that Banks likes about Oregon, there was one thing that sold him on the Ducks.
"Their offense," Banks, who is 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, said. "It's the spread offense, which is what we run."
While Oregon is the only offer Banks currently holds, he will most likely receive many more, even if he follows through with his commitment to Oregon. Still it's pretty clear it's going to be tough to beat the Ducks.
"I just already know what school I want to go to," Banks said. "My other top school was Florida, but with the distance thing, it's just too far. I've met coaches Mike Bellotti and Don Pellum. Those are the two coaches that I talk to."
However, the coaches weren't the only ones that Banks knows in Oregon. He also already knows receiver Jaison Williams, who is also from Culver City. It doesn't stop there either as Banks said he hopes to bring someone with him to Eugene.
"I've been recruiting Antwon Moutra," Banks said. "He's one of our receivers. He's looking at Oregon. He's also looking at UCLA and Notre Dame. Hopefully he will come to Oregon."
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Moutra also already holds an Oregon offer and Banks says he would definitely like it if Moutra joined him.
As for junior days, Banks plans on attending the Rivals.com junior day in Anaheim as well as the one at Oregon. With his decision likely out of the way, Banks now says he wants to just focus on his senior year and he has lofty goals.
"My goal is to go all the way," Banks said. "I'm going to try and win a championship."
He should have a good shot at making that happen. As a junior, Banks threw for 4,115 yards and 51 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions. He threw for 2,211 yards and 26 scores in 2005.