The protection was good. The pass had just enough combination of height and length. A game changing Hail Mary that gave Tennessee a boost on the road. Nope, not last weekend against Georgia, but against Florida in the swamp in 2003.

"It was just a stay in your lane and get down the field," former Vol James Banks said. "I think I did a good job of tracking it."

Banks found himself reminiscing after seeing current Vol Jauan Jennings snag a game winning Hail Mary last weekend to beat Georgia.

"I saw the replay of Jauan's catch and he did a great job of going up to get it on time. I think mine was more of a reaction. It was slowed down and when the ball got tipped, I just went and grabbed it. His was a much better effort than mine."

Banks is back home in Indianapolis where he is going back to school and working.

He admits that he doesn't watch too much football these days. It's a sobering reminder of what might have been, but it's also a boost as he remembers how the road less traveled led him to his current stability.

"I've been blessed with two healthy boys and a wife," Banks said. "If things would have played out differently then none of those things would have happened. I'm happy with my life right now and I think I got humbled a lot. This was a much better scenario for me and how it has all played out.

"If I had made it, then I'd have thought everything was going to be given to me. I just did whatever I wanted too and I just didn't take things serious like I should have. I'm fortunate that I wasn't in a position to have abused that power and I'm glad it worked out how it did."

Banks arrived at Tennessee after an outstanding prep career at Ben Davis high school in Indianapolis. The 5-star dual threat quarterback would switch to receiver before his sophomore season. Never short on confidence during his playing days, Banks is sure of one thing. He's positive that if he had been more level headed then he would have been a hit for more than just a couple of seasons at Tennessee.

"I don't think there is a question or doubt in anyone's mind that if I had been more mature then, I'd have had longterm success. It was all there for me."

Before the move to wideout, Banks backed up Casey Clausen in 2002 and came off the bench between the hedges after Clausen had been injured against Arkansas the week before. He almost pulled off a remarkable win and did win his lone start at quarterback the following week against Mississippi State.

Moving to to receiving made sense with his raw and natural athletic ability.

"I wasn't surprised," Banks said about his success at receiver. "It was an athletic position and I was really athletic so it was easier for me because I didn't have to worry about the whole squad. At receiver, you just have to do your job. I had Casey there which was really good. He trusted in me and I just tried to do the best job I could."

"Tony Brown was a really good teacher. Coach (Pat) Washington helped me a lot and honestly they made it easy on me when I made the switch. Being a quarterback, I knew the routes already and it was an easy adjustment."

Banks only spent two seasons on Rocky Top before being dismissed from the team. In those two years, he left an impression with not only his Hail Mary catch against Florida, but also his play in Tennessee's five overtime thriller to beat Alabama later that season.

He led the Vols in catches with 39 in totaling 584 yards. In that back and forth battle in Tuscaloosa, he eclipsed 100 yards receiving and totaled three touchdowns with one coming on a 25 yard run from the quarterback spot. The wins that year, inside the Swamp, Orange Bowl and at Alabama was quite a run.

"The Miami game really stands out to me because it was a team win," Banks said. "That Alabama game was probably my greatest game. It all went by so fast in my couple of years. It was over just like that. I really enjoyed my time on the Vol walk and running through the T. It was live."

Asked to look back on his career, what came to mind wasn't the plays on the field, but his time off it with his teammates.

"My greatest memories I have are the ones with my teammates," Banks said. "It's just all the time I spent with those guys. I still talk to Marvin Mitchell, Cedric Houston, Gerald Riggs and Troy Fleming a lot.”