Tennessee had Onis Konanbanny since ‘day one’ as he details decision to wear orange
Columbia, South Carolina cornerback Onis Konanbanny announced on Friday that he was picking Tennessee over Florida State. Before making it public, Konanbanny spoke with Volquest about why Tennessee was always the place for him.
“It’s been them from day one,” Konanbanny said. “It started with Tennessee and it’s going to end with Tennessee. It was my first college visit ever and we came here with my family. Ever since then I always wanted to be here and play here. It’s home.”
Originally from France and England, he is just scratching the surface as a football player, and he has high hopes for how much he can improve.
“I don’t know how much better I can get but I just know London made me grind harder and excel in the lab every day,” Konanbanny said. “Once coach a Martinez gets his hands on me I’m going to be an elite corner and defensive back.”
Defensive backs coach Willie Martinez left quite the impression on Konanbanny throughout the process.
“His intensity to push me every day to be my best,” Konanbanny said. “Whether it’s out on the field or in real life or out on the lake tubing. Just his intensity and how he has been making me a priority and how he treats me and my mom. It’s real relationships. Same thing with ET. Long lifetime relationships. After my time is done at Tennessee I know I can still pick up the phone and call them and chop it up,”
And he knows he can count on defensive coordinator Tim Banks.
“Coach Banks is my guy, my dog,” Konanbanny said. “He has come to see me twice in school. That’s the most of any coach. I love coach Banks and his defense. He is just a great guy and always is going to come back to who he has real relationships with. If I don’t get something on the field I can always go to him and he will be willing to help and develop me to the best player I can be.”
