Texas linemen Banks, Conner meet the media, but no introductions will be needed this fall

During his freshman year, Kelvin Banks Jr. started 13 times at the left tackle spot on Texas' offensive line. For each of those starts, sophomore Hayden Conner lined up directly to his right.

So Banks and Conner both have familiar faces within the football program.

Their voices, though, were not as well-known. Neither participated in a media availability with local reporters in 2022. Veterans Christian Jones and Jake Majors instead did much of the talking for the line. But after Texas wrapped up its last practice of the spring Thursday, both Banks and Conner chatted with the UT press corps for the first time.

Kelvin and Hayden, meet the media. Media, meet Kelvin and Hayden.

During his time in front of the microphone, Banks shared that he loves saltwater fishing with his father and brother. He hunts a little bit, too. He also revealed that his mother used to say "Tookie" when she pinched his cheeks as a baby and that stuck as a family nickname for the 6-foot-4, 318-pound all-conference honoree.

Conner, meanwhile, showed why he's one of the more interesting athletes on campus. Having already participated in a NASA scholars program in high school, he hopes to work in the space industry when he's done with football. Earlier this year, he began to invest in real estate and became the co-owner of a house in Austin. The barbecue connoisseur counts Pinkerton's in Houston and Austin's Franklin Barbecue among his favored spots, although he's wary of using his status as a Texas football player to gain perks.

"Before the Oklahoma State game, we went to Terry Black's, and they let us cut," Conner said. "I'm like, I don't like doing that stuff because everyone was looking like, 'Who are these guys cutting the line?’”

'We can be as good as we want ourselves to be'

With the Orange-White game set for Saturday, Banks and Conner also talked football. Banks spoke about how he was at first frazzled whenever a rusher lined up wide against him, but he learned that a calm approach was as important as the steps he needed to take to block that defender. Conner said he was happy with the growth between his freshman and sophomore years and felt that he made a similar jump this spring.

Last season, Texas started the same front line in all 13 games. In addition to having Banks and Conner on the left side, Majors was the starting center, Cole Hutson was the right guard and Jones started 13 times at right tackle. All five players will be back this fall.

"We can be as good as we want ourselves to be," Banks said. "I feel like our offensive line, if we come out there and play our game and play for each other and we stay in sync, we can be as good (as we want)."

An experienced line might not just be an asset for an offense that needs to find a new lead running back but returns a quarterback and several playmakers in the receiving corps. Defensive lineman Barryn Sorrell pointed out Thursday that he has been going up against Banks and Jones throughout the spring, and UT coach Steve Sarkisian has said he doesn't mind having his tackles test the team's edge rushers.

"I don't like to temper anything," Sarkisian said. "Ultimately, our job is to beat the best teams that we play on our schedule, and ultimately put ourselves in position to compete for a championship. If you're in that role, they've probably got good tackles too. I do measure it against what does it look like when (our edge rushers) go against those guys."

Texas has beefed up its offensive line depth

Hutson has been on the injury report this spring with a shoulder problem. His absence has created meaningful reps for players such as Cameron Williams, a four-star signee in UT's 2022 recruiting class. "He moves really well for a big man," Sarkisian said of the 360-pound Williams, who also was Jones' backup at right tackle last year.

Banks and Williams are two of the 12 offensive linemen whom Sarkisian and position coach Kyle Flood have signed over the past two recruiting cycles. That influx of talent has added heft and depth to the roster. It also has kept the returning starters on their toes, although Conner insists that "iron sharpens iron."

"You want to have competition; you want to have that feeling of someone on your heels," Jones said in March. "That will push you forward. That'll push you a little bit harder every single day to secure a spot or win a spot. It's nothing but love. There's no type of bad blood or anything. The whole line, extremely talented. Everyone from super-duper seniors to freshmen who just came on campus."

Saturday's Orange-White game

1:30 p.m., Royal-Memorial Stadium, LHN, 104.9

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Banks, Conner among starters returning to veteran Texas offensive line