New St. Rita Head Football Coach Martin Hopkins Finalizes His Inaugural Coaching Staff
St. Rita Head Varsity Football Coach Martin Hopkins '09 finalized his inaugural coaching staff this past week adding a former Davey O'Brien Award winning and Heisman Trophy runner-up quarterback and a former Super Bowl champion to his already experienced staff.
Hopkins announced that former University of Iowa Hawkeye great, Brad Banks, will assume the role as varsity quarterbacks coach while former Mustang standout and University of Notre Dame linebacker Darius Fleming '08, who won Super Bowl XLIX as a member of the New England Patriots in 2015, will assist with the defensive line.
Banks attended Glades Central High School in Florida where he earned all-conference and all-state recognition in both his junior and senior seasons before accepting a scholarship to the University of Central Florida. After his freshmen year at UCF, he transferred to Hinds Community College in Mississippi where, after two stellar seasons, he earned a scholarship to the University of Iowa. In 2002, as the Hawkeyes starting quarterback, Banks was the Big Ten MVP while also winning the Davey O'Brien Award as the top quarterback in the country. He also finished runner-up to USC quarterback Carson Palmer for the Heisman Trophy. In his professional career, Banks signed with the Washington Redskins after graduation and eventually played six seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Ottawa Renegades, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Montreal Alouettes. Banks is first cousins with former NFL wide receiver Anquan Boldin and he currently resides in Naperville.
Brad Banks, the Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback from 2001 to 2002 who was awarded the Davey O’Brien Award for top quarterback in the country, will take on the role as varsity quarterbacks coach.
During his time at St. Rita, Darius Fleming helped lead the Mustangs to the Class 7A State Championship in 2006 as a junior and the 2007 Prep Bowl as a senior. He was also selected to play in the United States Army All-American Bowl. After receiving over 30 scholarship offers, Fleming selected University of Notre Dame. He was then drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 5th round of the 2012 NFL Draft. After tearing his ACL twice with San Francisco early in his career, Fleming landed with the New England Patriots for the 2014-15 seasons where he was a special teams contributor for the 2015 Super Bowl champions.
Darius Fleming ‘08, who won Super Bowl XLIX as a member of the New England Patriots in 2015, will assist with the Mustang defensive line.
Many members of former head coach Todd Kuska's staff will remain with Hopkins as veteran offensive line coach John Nee '93 will assume the role as offensive coordinator/offensive line coach. On the offensive side, he will be joined by Pat Connelly '01 (TE/FBs), Bill Lynch '91 (RBs), Kevin Reed (WRs), Aidan Lynch '19 (OL), former New England Patriot RJ Mattes (OL), and Banks (QBs).
On the defensive side Coach Hopkins will add the role as defensive coordinator to his head coaching duties, and he will be joined by John Regan '14 (LBs), Terry Quinn '84 (DBs), Brendan Garrett '10 (DBs), Danny Connolly '10 (DL), and Fleming '08 (DL). Longtime special team's coach JJ Standring '97 will remain on staff as well in the same role.
The Mustangs will open the 2023 season at Sandburg on Friday, August 25.
By John Nee