Class of 2015 LB Troy Henderson JR (OH) Signed LOI

[bnoro]

I totally agree with you on Henderson. I really hope everyone appreciates this kid. This kid basically wanted to be Orange since day 1. This is even after we made him hold of on committing because we were inexplicably too busy chasing that Sawyer Dawson kid who ended up committing to Purdue. Talk about dodging a bullet. I liked Dawson, but I didn't think he was close to the player that Henderson is. Luckily the timing worked out where we found out Dawson spurned us, and Henderson didn't commit to Rutgers. While we were chasing Dawson, Henderson was down at RU and got the golf cart treatment during one of RU's camp. He even set a date where he was going to commit (to RU) when we found out Dawson was going to Purdue. Luckily Coach Lea was able to get back in touch, and the kid pushed back his commitment even after knowing he was basically 2nd choice. Then Nebraska offers, and we're still able to get his commitment. We can also thank Zaire Franklin for this. They bonded during his visit, and Zaire remained in touch the whole time. This kid has been solid from day 1, which is even more then we can say for ourselves. I gained a ton of respect for him how he handled everything. and even turned down invitations to visit some big time programs during the past couple of weeks. I'm a fan for all SU guys, but there are certain ones I pull for just a little more, and Troy is going to be one of those kids.

Now onto his tape. I think this kid is an absolute beast. I have no idea why we even flirted with that other kid. Most HS LB's don't have the skill to drop back in coverage, but Henderson shows the ability to do just that. I'm willing to bet that he would have been our best coverage LBer this year. Everything else is rock solid. He played elite competition for one of the best HS programs in the country. If this kid was 3 inches taller he would have been a 4 star, and would have had even more interest then he already did.

And Jack I agree with you. I can see Troy as one of the very best linebackers in the ACC before his time here is done. Of all the LB's we signed the past 2 years I rank him 2nd behind Zaire Franklin.

Anyways I know most who follow recruiting closely are well aware of his recruitment story, but thought the rest should know.

I just watched Dawson's senior tape. I have no idea how we made Troy wait to see what happened with Sawyer. That could have been a huge, huge mistake for this staff.

 

[weedsportwarriors]

I totally agree with you on Henderson. I really hope everyone appreciates this kid. This kid basically wanted to be Orange since day 1. This is even after we made him hold of on committing because we were inexplicably too busy chasing that Sawyer Dawson kid who ended up committing to Purdue. Talk about dodging a bullet. I liked Dawson, but I didn't think he was close to the player that Henderson is. Luckily the timing worked out where we found out Dawson spurned us, and Henderson didn't commit to Rutgers. While we were chasing Dawson, Henderson was down at RU and got the golf cart treatment during one of RU's camp. He even set a date where he was going to commit (to RU) when we found out Dawson was going to Purdue. Luckily Coach Lea was able to get back in touch, and the kid pushed back his commitment even after knowing he was basically 2nd choice. Then Nebraska offers, and we're still able to get his commitment. We can also thank Zaire Franklin for this. They bonded during his visit, and Zaire remained in touch the whole time. This kid has been solid from day 1, which is even more then we can say for ourselves. I gained a ton of respect for him how he handled everything. and even turned down invitations to visit some big time programs during the past couple of weeks. I'm a fan for all SU guys, but there are certain ones I pull for just a little more, and Troy is going to be one of those kids.

Now onto his tape. I think this kid is an absolute beast. I have no idea why we even flirted with that other kid. Most HS LB's don't have the skill to drop back in coverage, but Henderson shows the ability to do just that. I'm willing to bet that he would have been our best coverage LBer this year. Everything else is rock solid. He played elite competition for one of the best HS programs in the country. If this kid was 3 inches taller he would have been a 4 star, and would have had even more interest then he already did.

And Jack I agree with you. I can see Troy as one of the very best linebackers in the ACC before his time here is done. Of all the LB's we signed the past 2 years I rank him 2nd behind Zaire Franklin.

Anyways I know most who follow recruiting closely are well aware of his recruitment story, but thought the rest should know.

That is awesome that Zaire was instrumental in getting him here. If I remember correctly, wasn't Ped St. trying to flip Zaire and he basically told them to go pound rock salt, that he was 100% committed to SU. Zaire is paying great dividends for SU. When it is all said and done, I believe Zaire will be the best recruit from last years class.

 

[texascpa]

That is awesome that Zaire was instrumental in getting him here. If I remember correctly, wasn't Ped St. trying to flip Zaire and he basically told them to go pound rock salt, that he was 100% committed to SU. Zaire is paying great dividends for SU. When it is all said and done, I believe Zaire will be the best recruit from last years class.

Zaire will be a Captain possibly his Junior year and most definitely his Sr. year. I agree, between him and Ishmael, you could argue either will be the best recruit from last year's class.

I could see a starting lineup of Zaire, Henderson and Shy in a year or two.

 

[CuseLegacy]

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  7:49 PM - 26 Feb 2015
  T-Hen State champ‏@_Troy3 8h8 hours ago
  Got another one for finishing 2nd in the country #edsup

 

[NJCuse97]

He's gonna hate getting up a 5:30 AM then. Breakfast, workout, check in with coaches, then off to class to start the day.

Just re-reading this made me think back to my days at SU. I was an architecture major and we stayed up all night working often. Arch students were they only ones with key access to their building (Slocum) 24/7. Anyway, we'd often try to squeeze in a meal before our first classes (8:00 AM Arch History). The closest dining hall that opened at 6:30 was Shaw. This is where all teh football guys would gather for their breakfast and check-in. It was surreal to be there, just 20 architecture students and the football team eating breakfast. I met a bunch of guys that way, as they were all very curious who the other crazies were that ate breakfast with them every morning. Moten would hang with them as he and Marvin Graves were HS buddies and roommates. Al Wooten was the third in that group.

I hung and talked a lot with Darius then. I will never forget the day I realized that he wasn't mean, just had a motor to him. Our Soph. year we were watching some godzilla movies eating breakfast and in comes incumbent QB Kevin Mason. He storms over to our table and his hand is casted up. He shoots a look at Donovan and Darius gets up and hugs him and apologizes. You can tell Mason is mad, but he can't stay mad at Darius. I asked Donovan what happened, and he tells me he was blitzing in a live practice and shot through the line. He instictively couldn't turn it off and put his hat on the ball, breaking Mason's hand. It was dumb, but you just couldn't stay mad at the guy. Luckily it was spring.

It's too bad they don't probably do those meals and check ins amongst the students anymore. One of my favorite things about SU was the relative accessibility of the athletes. There was a tighter bond and it was easier standing at a bus stop with Wilkie Bazille or Ernie Davis Brown because you felt more comfortable talking with them. There were guys you didn't bother as much, but I felt OK talking to McNabb at a party or having the Pilons over for pizza (Tod Burgan could smell pizza three blocks away).

 

[Bambrewer]

Yeah they eat breakfast at manely probably not much of that type interaction anymore. The dorms are up at sky top so they are probably a lot of athletes not interacting besides classes and maybe dinner. Shy was saying the team doesn't really get along with the fraternities either so I'm guessing it's mostly just the atheltes bonding.

 

[Trueblue25]

Yeah they eat breakfast at manely probably not much of that type interaction anymore. The dorms are up at sky top so they are probably a lot of athletes not interacting besides classes and maybe dinner. Shy was saying the team doesn't really get along with the fraternities either so I'm guessing it's mostly just the atheltes bonding.

Being a fraternity brother, that's probably for the best lol.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Yeah they eat breakfast at manely probably not much of that type interaction anymore. The dorms are up at sky top so they are probably a lot of athletes not interacting besides classes and maybe dinner. Shy was saying the team doesn't really get along with the fraternities either so I'm guessing it's mostly just the atheltes bonding.

I suspect that the dining/living situation is probably pretty common among other programs. Besides they team is basically a "fraternity" on it's own.

 

[NJCuse97]

I suspect that the dining/living situation is probably pretty common among other programs. Besides they team is basically a "fraternity" on it's own.

That is true. I was in a unique situation even then in that I got to know some guys well enough that I lived in an apartment on South Campus with a scholarship basketball player and a football walk on. I was on the perifery of that "fraternity". A lot of it is a trust thing. Most people understand that I think. Once I was "in" I was good to go with most guys. I was not big enough to be a threat to any of them anyway. I was almost a soccer walk on, so there was also a comeraderie I had with those guys. Living up on South is a very different "college" experience, but not one I would have traded.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Prom night.

 

[CuseLegacy]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[cuseguy]

42uF8PjG34

Henderson doesn't have the look of someone who would wear 39.

He's more of a 31 guy or a single digit like 9.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

I never really thought of 39 as saucy, but ex SU linebacker Larry Cszonka made it kind of saucy for the Miami Dolphins.