March 25, 2015
Aaron Suttles
TideSports.com Senior Writer
Two years spent as the two in a one-two punch has junior running back Derrick Henry prepared and ready for his time.
The jumbo runner known for hammering defenders with body shots before outracing them for huge gains, is now the featured back with Kenyan Drake and a slew of other talented backs as his sidekicks.
Running the ball was never a problem for Henry, who set the national high school record for career rushing yards while at Yulee High School (Fla.). He averaged 5.8 yards a carry in 2014, leading the team in rushing with 990 yards and 11 touchdowns.
As with most star high school football rushers, though, Henry wasn't asked to block much. It was a skill he had to learn.
"That was a big transition, and I feel like the older you are and more you play football you learn a lot more about blocking technique, and that's big here," Henry said. "Coach really emphasizes that we have to block, like, a lot, and I feel like I've gotten better.
That's an important fact to not overlook as the offensive prepares to replace nine starters from the 2014 team, including T.J. Yeldon, who was the most complete running back last season.
Yeldon was in the backfield for 56 percent of the team's pass plays last season. On third down passes, he was in the backfield a total of 71 times compared to 18 for Henry.
Henry knows to replace Yeldon he'll also have to be a complete back.
UA coach Nick Saban said Henry's on his way.
"I think Derrick Henry has improved in all aspects of the game where he doesn't have the ball - which includes blocking, which includes being a better receiver, understanding pass protections, when you need to get out, when you can't," Saban said.
"Kenyan Drake I think has a better understanding - not quite as big and as physical as Derrick - but I trust both those guys to be able to do a good job in that regard. They've definitely made a lot of progress. But they also have the capability of making a lot of plays, so we definitely want them on the field as much as possible."
It's just the latest in the maturation of Henry, who you might imagination got to campus with a truckload of expectations, including his own, placed upon him.
That internal and external pressures can be a lot for a young player to handle.
"It's almost like a basketball player that's supposed to be a great scorer and he only has two points at halftime and he's pulling his hair out," Saan said. "You really don't want that. Maybe he'll score 24 in the next half. But you've got to just focus on what you're doing right now, knowing that if you do it right, you're going to have success and don't worry about that."
Saban that if there were such an honor as offseason MVP, Henry would win it.
"He's one of the hardest workers on the team," Saban said. "…finishing, running hard, winning every race, finishing the drill…I think that he has a real burning desire to be a really really good placer and works really hard at it."
Henry, who said he's currently around 240 pounds, knows he can't do it by himself. That's why he's excited to get Drake back this season. With Drake splitting time between running back and wide receiver this spring, Henry and Drake could see the field at the same time.
"Me in the backfield and him at receiver, you really wouldn't know what's coming or who's getting the ball," Henry said. "Kenyan has great hands, and I try to do a little bit out of the backfield, too. But I just think that's great to have us both out there trying to make a play for the team."
- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1750660#sthash.1bPHghY4.dpuf
Aaron Suttles
TideSports.com Senior Writer
Two years spent as the two in a one-two punch has junior running back Derrick Henry prepared and ready for his time.
The jumbo runner known for hammering defenders with body shots before outracing them for huge gains, is now the featured back with Kenyan Drake and a slew of other talented backs as his sidekicks.
Running the ball was never a problem for Henry, who set the national high school record for career rushing yards while at Yulee High School (Fla.). He averaged 5.8 yards a carry in 2014, leading the team in rushing with 990 yards and 11 touchdowns.
As with most star high school football rushers, though, Henry wasn't asked to block much. It was a skill he had to learn.
"That was a big transition, and I feel like the older you are and more you play football you learn a lot more about blocking technique, and that's big here," Henry said. "Coach really emphasizes that we have to block, like, a lot, and I feel like I've gotten better.
That's an important fact to not overlook as the offensive prepares to replace nine starters from the 2014 team, including T.J. Yeldon, who was the most complete running back last season.
Yeldon was in the backfield for 56 percent of the team's pass plays last season. On third down passes, he was in the backfield a total of 71 times compared to 18 for Henry.
Henry knows to replace Yeldon he'll also have to be a complete back.
UA coach Nick Saban said Henry's on his way.
"I think Derrick Henry has improved in all aspects of the game where he doesn't have the ball - which includes blocking, which includes being a better receiver, understanding pass protections, when you need to get out, when you can't," Saban said.
"Kenyan Drake I think has a better understanding - not quite as big and as physical as Derrick - but I trust both those guys to be able to do a good job in that regard. They've definitely made a lot of progress. But they also have the capability of making a lot of plays, so we definitely want them on the field as much as possible."
It's just the latest in the maturation of Henry, who you might imagination got to campus with a truckload of expectations, including his own, placed upon him.
That internal and external pressures can be a lot for a young player to handle.
"It's almost like a basketball player that's supposed to be a great scorer and he only has two points at halftime and he's pulling his hair out," Saan said. "You really don't want that. Maybe he'll score 24 in the next half. But you've got to just focus on what you're doing right now, knowing that if you do it right, you're going to have success and don't worry about that."
Saban that if there were such an honor as offseason MVP, Henry would win it.
"He's one of the hardest workers on the team," Saban said. "…finishing, running hard, winning every race, finishing the drill…I think that he has a real burning desire to be a really really good placer and works really hard at it."
Henry, who said he's currently around 240 pounds, knows he can't do it by himself. That's why he's excited to get Drake back this season. With Drake splitting time between running back and wide receiver this spring, Henry and Drake could see the field at the same time.
"Me in the backfield and him at receiver, you really wouldn't know what's coming or who's getting the ball," Henry said. "Kenyan has great hands, and I try to do a little bit out of the backfield, too. But I just think that's great to have us both out there trying to make a play for the team."
- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1750660#sthash.1bPHghY4.dpuf
