Arketa Banks is in his second season as special teams coordinator after joining the Georgia State football staff in May 2022.
Banks came to GSU after one season at Elon, his alma mater, where he coached tight ends (2021) and cornerbacks (spring 2022).
Before going to Elon, Banks served two tours at Western Carolina. In three seasons from 2017-19, he worked with wide receivers, running backs and tight ends. In his first stint in Cullowee, he tutored the running backs from 2009-12.
In between, Banks coached at NCAA Division II powerhouse Lenoir-Rhyne for five seasons from 2013-17, serving as the slotbacks coach in 2013-2014 and wide receivers’ coach from 2015-17. During the 2014 season, he coached the slotbacks D-II national-record 416.2 rushing yards per game, led by NCAA Division II All-America Chris Robinson. The Bears went 11-1 in 2014 and finished the season ranked No. 8 in the nation.
While at Lenoir-Rhyne, Banks also served as the Director of High School Relations and In-State Recruiting.
He moved to Gardner-Webb in 2018 and coached the running backs and tight ends for one season before returning to Western Carolina in 2019.
Banks got his start in coaching at his alma mater, Warren County High School in Warrenton, N.C., first as the junior varsity head coach in 2004 before taking over at the varsity level in 2005. He also coached prep football at Wakefield High in Raleigh in 2006-07, coaching defensive backs and quarterbacks.
He earned his first collegiate coaching position at Brevard College in 2008, where he coached the defensive secondary and served as the program’s recruiting coordinator for one season.
A 2003 graduate of Elon, Banks was a four-year letterwinner and an All-Big South Conference performer as a receiver and a kick returner in 2002. He was also named All-Independent as a return specialist in 2001. During his career, he led Elon in receiving from 2000-2002, amassing 1,371 yards on 54 catches with 17 receiving touchdowns.
Banks and his wife, the former Latora Pettaway of Henderson, N.C., have three children; Shymia, Kimora, and Arketa, II.
