Mark Banker, who has experience leading defenses at NCAA Power Five schools and in the NFL, is expected to be named the University of Hawaii football team’s assistant head coach as early as today, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser has learned.
Banker also will be in charge of coaching the UH linebackers. Sean Duggan, the Rainbow Warriors’ linebackers coach the past two seasons, left the program last month.
Banker’s 36-year coaching career includes serving as the San Diego Chargers’ defensive coordinator from 1999 to 2001.
He also has been the assistant head coach at USC and Stanford, and defensive coordinator at Oregon State and Nebraska. Banker did not coach this past season after departing Nebraska at the end of the 2016 season.
This will be Banker’s second stint at UH. He coached the Warriors’ outside linebackers and special teams in 1995.
“He’s a great guy, great family guy,” said Bob Wagner, the former UH head coach who hired Banker in 1995. “He’s really super to work with. He’s very, very experienced.”
Banker was an influential point recruiter in Hawaii for USC, Oregon State, Stanford and Nebraska.
“He knows the high school coaches in the state,” Wagner said. “UH is very fortunate to get somebody with his experience and character. He has a big affinity for Hawaii.”
Banker and Corey Batoon, who recently was hired as UH’s defensive coordinator, have known each other for several years. In 2017, the Warriors finished the season with every coach younger than 40. Banker is 61, Batoon is 49.
After Banker’s hiring becomes official, the Warriors will have three vacancies to fill on the coaching staff. UH is expected to fill those spots after the American Football Coaches Association’s convention that begins this weekend.
