Ephraim Banda has created a legacy for Miami Hurricanes safeties as their position coach before accepting the job to be the defensive coordinator at Utah State on Sunday.
Four safeties coached by Ephraim Banda in his five seasons with the Miami Hurricanes are currently playing in the NFL. Banda was an elite recruiter and coach for Miami in his five seasons with the Hurricanes. Banda has been the safeties coach for five seasons and co-defensive coordinator for the last two.
Banda left the Miami Hurricanes football program on Sunday to accept the defensive coordinator position with Utah State. Banda is joining the staff of Blake Anderson who was hired as the Aggies’ new head coach from Arkansas State. Banda will get a chance to call a defense for the first time.
Blake Baker was the co-defensive coordinator for Miami the last two seasons with Banda. Baker called the defense on game days. Banda left his impact on the Miami Hurricanes as an elite recruiter and by the outstanding play at safety over the past four seasons. The play of his players in the NFL is a testament.
Rayshawn Jenkins with the Los Angeles Chargers, Jamal Carter with the Atlanta Falcons, Jaquan Johnson with the Buffalo Bills and Sheldrick Redwine with the Cleveland Browns are the four safeties Banda coached at Miami currently in the NFL. Johnson and Redwine will play in the NFL Playoffs next weekend.
Jenkins has been a full-time starter with the Chargers the last two seasons and Johnson and Redwing have been key reserves. Banda helped Miami sign current Miami safeties Amari Carter and Gurvan Hall from Palm Beach County out of high school and Bubba Bolden as a transfer from USC.
Bolden led Miami with 74 tackles this season, with Carter tying for a distant second with 53. Banda helped Miami sign the top safety nationally in each of the last two recruiting classes. Avantae Williams signed with Miami in 2020 but sat out this season due to an unspecified medical issue.
James Williams is the top safety in the class of 2021 and the 13th ranked player in the class of 2021. Banda was the 14th ranked recruiter in the 2020 rankings and 63rd ranked this season. James Williams and former Miami running back Lorenzo Lingard were five-star Miami signees attributed to Banda during his Miami tenure.