Memphis special teams coach Charles Bankins has been with the Tigers only since April 12, yet he’s already bringing a professional approach to the special teams unit with 25 years of coaching experience.

His most recent stop was with the Carolina Panthers, but Bankins has coached at a variety of locations, including St. Louis, where he was the Rams’ assistant special teams coach in 2005, and the special teams rankings improved from last in the league to 17th.

Bankins knows how valuable it is to put together quality special teams tape for scouts at the next level, and he is putting his Memphis players in the best position to produce strong film.

Tigers use competition to forge new offensive line

He has been in draft meetings discussing players who were believed to have potential as solid special teams contributors in the NFL, but not all of them had the tape to back it up. Bankins wants the guy who can prove it on film.

“I’ve seen the tape, that’s the guy I want to take who I’ve seen do it,” he said. “I don’t have to guess to do it. So all these guys, I tell them I want to put your résumé out there. I want to get them on the field. I want to use the fundamentals and stuff that we’ve learned that we’re teaching at the next level. So when you step into camp it’s a seamless transition for you to win the spot on special teams.”

Fifth-year senior running back and former Bartlett High School standout Marquavius Weaver has been one of Bankins’ best assets on special teams, calling him a Swiss Army knife because of his versatility. Weaver is a former walk-on who was recently put on scholarship, and Bankins has been impressed with his production.

Memphis lands commitment from PURE Youth quarterback Tevin Carter

“Everywhere I put him he does well,” he said. “I put him back to being off return, he does well. I put him on the front line of showtime, he does well. I moved him three times on our punt unit already and he does well. That’s what’s great about him. He’s a great student of the game. He wants to be great. He works on his craft. He’s on his way to being a pro. We talk about it all the time, being a pro every time you step on the field. He’s a pro in the meeting room, on the football field and out in public.”

Bankins has a punter in Joe Doyle who is also heading into his first season with the Tigers. Doyle transferred from the University of Tennessee, and Bankins is his fifth special teams coordinator in five years.

Doyle said the trust that Bankins has in him has made things a lot easier for him on the field.

Calkins: Former Memphis great Danton Barto intubated and fighting for his life

“Having him since Day 1 putting all of his trust in me and just believing in me since Day 1, it makes me feel so comfortable,” Doyle said. “During practice I can just go out and do my thing. I don’t have to think about what this guy needs me to do (or) what this guy needs me to do. He just tells me to do what you do and do it at a high level.”

Quality special teams play can be taken for granted by college football fans throughout a game. But the teams competing at the highest level usually have minimal errors on special teams, and Bankins is doing his part in making sure the Tigers are prepared in that area.