James Banks is back — again.

The former University of Tennessee quarterback and receiver is getting one more shot at reviving a once-promising football career at Carson-Newman College.

“It’s definitely one of the happiest moments of my life,” Banks said Thursday. “I’m just excited to be playing again somewhere and I’m glad it’s at Carson-Newman.”

Banks, who turns 24 on Aug. 14, is enrolled at Carson-Newman and expected to report to campus and practice as a junior wide receiver today.

It’s another fresh start for a player whose career began with flashes of brilliance at UT, then spiraled out of control with a series of academic problems mixed with drug and alcohol issues.

After playing in eight games as a freshman quarterback at UT in 2002, and leading the Vols in receiving as a sophomore in 2003, he was dismissed from the team in 2004 after a variety of incidents.

He was suspended for the first three games of the 2004 season and a knee injury prevented him from playing at all that season.

Banks later admitted to using marijuana and submitting a diluted drug test prior to his dismissal.

The former All-American out of Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, landed at Carson-Newman and practiced with the Eagles during the spring of 2005, but academics again derailed his plans to play in the fall.

He surfaced briefly at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Ind., but didn’t meet the school’s academic eligibility standards.

Carson-Newman coach Ken Sparks then gave Banks another opportunity in 2006 to enroll at the Division II school for a probationary term to prove his dedication to getting his academics and life in order.

That ended last February when Banks was arrested in Morristown on charges of driving under the influence.

He was enrolled for the spring semester, but not a member of the football team.

“At first, I wasn’t on the team at all and I just had to prove to him how bad I wanted to be on the team,” Banks said of Sparks. “Luckily, I just got some stuff together and we went from there.

“I’m back on the team now and hopefully I can stay in the good graces of Coach Sparks. If that happens, everything else should take care of itself.”

The Eagles have their first practice at 8:30 tonight at Burke-Tarr Stadium.

Sparks couldn’t be reached for comment, but he’s expected to address the status of Banks today.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.