Tag: Darrell Henderson

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From My Seat Sports

Run to Glory?

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

American football is a strangely named sport. The ball is rarely kicked and such plays only make highlight shows when they prove decisive in a game. If you paid any attention at all to the doomed Alliance of American Football, you’ll know there are efforts to remove the kickoff from the game entirely. In a sport where cranial injuries are part of the story, helmeted heads colliding on kickoffs are especially vulnerable.
Larry Kuzniewski

Darrell Henderson

Then you have the running back. You know, the guy who makes a living by carrying the football, his feet taking him through gaps (however larger or small), toward the end zone, six points, and a glory dance. There was a time, not that long ago, when running backs shaped the way teams were built. Between 1977 and 1986, teams chose a running back with the first pick in the NFL draft five times. Alas, not one of those five players took the team that drafted him to the Super Bowl and only one (Earl Campbell) now has a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Last fall, the University of Memphis suited up an All-America running back, and the fastest player I’ve seen in a Tiger uniform. But Darrell Henderson had to wait until the third round when the NFC champion Los Angeles Rams selected him with the 70th pick in the draft. Ironically, Henderson will apprentice under one of the NFL’s few star running backs, two-time All-Pro Todd Gurley.

Another speed-demon who took some reps at running back for Memphis, Tony Pollard, waited even longer. The Dallas Cowboys selected the incomparable kick returner late in the fourth round on Saturday, with the 128th pick. Like Henderson, Pollard will join a team with a certifiable star at tailback, two-time rushing champ Zeke Elliott. The Cowboys also have one of the best offensive lines in football, with three All-Pros opening gaps for ball-carriers. Both Henderson and Pollard would seem to be in comfortable situations to begin their pro careers.

What are we to make of standout college ball-carriers getting the playground-nerd treatment on draft day? It’s an aerial game. Nine NFL players rushed for 1,000 yards in the 2018 season while 21 receivers caught passes for at least 1,000. If teams aren’t drafting the next Manning or Brady, they’re looking for men to stop the league’s star passers. Ten of the first 20 picks in this year’s draft were defensive linemen, with a premium on a new descriptor: edge rusher. (As in, player responsible solely for taking down the quarterback.) Three linemen from the same unit (national champion Clemson) were among the first 17 picks. These are the men Darrell Henderson and Tony Pollard will be dodging on Sundays for years to come.

• Can fans become the star attraction on game day? This seems to be reality for Memphis 901 FC, our new franchise in the USL Championship. The Bluff City Mafia has been loud and, somehow, proud, despite the local side providing little to chant about over its first four home games: three losses, a draw, and a grand total of one goal (thank you, Elliot Collier). Passion counts, though, and tends to be rewarded in the long run. So keep singing, ye BCM. Sunnier days ahead.

• On April 19th in St. Louis — two days after being promoted from the Memphis Redbirds — outfielder Lane Thomas became the 10th Cardinal to hit a home run in his first major-league at-bat. No other club in baseball has seen as many players make the ultimate intro. Remarkably, seven of those ten players went yard immediately after a promotion from Memphis, all over the last two decades. (The Cardinals have been playing in the National League since 1892.) In case you’ve forgotten the names of the other six (and three of them are pitchers): Keith McDonald (2000), Chris Richard (2000), Gene Stechschulte (2001), Adam Wainwright (2006), Mark Worrell (2008), and Paul DeJong (2017).

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Sports Tiger Blue

AAC Championship: #7 UCF 56, Tigers 41

Make it 25 wins in a row for the UCF Knights.

Led by their backup quarterback, the Knights overcame a 17-point halftime deficit to win their second straight American Athletic Conference championship. Filling in for the injured McKenzie Milton (the AAC’s Offensive Player of the Year), D.J. Mack passed for a pair of touchdowns and ran for four more to keep UCF’s record unblemished (12-0) and set up a likely New Year’s Six bowl game for a second year in a row. The loss ends a four-game winning streak for the Tigers.

Memphis capitalized on three UCF turnovers in the first half and roared to an early lead behind its sublime running back tandem of Darrell Henderson and Patrick Taylor. Henderson ran for more than 200 yards and three touchdowns before halftime. Taylor scored on a 70-yard touchdown run and, with 118 yards for the game, surpassed 1,000 yards for the season. (Henderson’s season total is now 1,909. It’s the first time in Tiger history a team has had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season.) Henderson’s three touchdowns give him 25 this year, a new Memphis single-season record.

Just as they did in a win at the Liberty Bowl in October, the Knights elevated play on both sides of the ball after halftime. They scored touchdowns on five straight possessions, four of them runs of no more than five yards by Mack. The Tiger offense, meanwhile, ran into a wall, settling for a single Riley Patterson field goal in the second half.

Memphis gained 583 yards, but UCF accumulated 698. The Tigers rushed for 401, the Knights 350.

The victory gives UCF 13 straight in its series with the Tigers dating back to 2005. The Tigers’ only win came in 1990, when the Knights competed as a I-AA program.

Now 8-5, Memphis will learn its bowl-game destination Sunday.

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From My Seat Sports

Gameday Gratitude

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

I like to give thanks this time of year for the little (and big) treasures from the local sports scene that have enriched life in Memphis.

• I’m grateful for two years of Stubby Clapp-led baseball teams at AutoZone Park. The Memphis Redbirds’ 2017 championship club — 13-0 in extra-inning games — felt over the top at times. The winning came so steadily, so “easily.” Then 2018 happened and the Redbirds did it again. More than 60 players but one hugely popular manager with a clubhouse touch apparently borrowed from Casey Stengel. The back-to-back Pacific Coast League championships will forever be attached to the height-restricted back-to-back PCL Manager of the Year. Clapp is moving on to St. Louis, where he’ll coach first base for the Cardinals. He managed to transform Memphis baseball both as a player and a manager, a total of three championships left behind in the record book.
Larry Kuzniewski

Jaren Jackson Jr.

• I’m grateful for Jaren Jackson Jr. The day will come — I know it’s hard to stomach — when the remaining members of the Memphis Grizzlies’ Fab Four (Mike Conley and Marc Gasol) are no longer sprinting the floor at FedExForum. A franchise can fall into a post-superstar hangover in which roster comings-and-goings matter little to a fan base. (See the post-Kevin Garnett years in Minnesota.) “Triple J” (or “Trey J”?) may be the bridge to the next era for our NBA outfit. I’ve seen nothing not to like about the 19-year-old forward over the first month of his pro career. Here’s hoping we get to see a playoff run (or two) with Conley, Gasol, and Jackson.

• I’m grateful for Darrell Henderson on first down. And second and third. The numbers for the Memphis Tigers’ junior tailback are silly: 1,521 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns with at least two games left to play. There will never be another DeAngelo Williams, but let it be said Henderson has been a nice reminder.

• I’m grateful for Coach Penny Hardaway. It’s been a unique view. I’m of Hardaway’s generation (two years older), so I’ve witnessed his rise to greatness as a player, his dormant years of early retirement, and now this year’s resurrection as a city’s cultural icon, all the while passing through my own life stages, however distant they are from the limelight. So I feel young whenever Hardaway is described as a new or rookie coach and I feel “seasoned” when I remember he’s older today than Larry Finch was when Finch coached his final Tiger game. Most of all, I’m grateful to again be on a ride driven by Penny Hardaway. He’s yet to disappoint.


• I’m grateful for plans to erect a statue of the great Larry Finch. This was overdue, but many of life’s happiest developments are just so. Memphis recently endured a period of conflict over statues that divided segments of the community. We will soon be able to visit a statue (and park!) that I’m convinced will unify Memphians. For such a bronze idol we should all be grateful.

• I’m grateful to be married to an exceptional athlete. My beloved wife, Sharon, will run her first marathon on December 1st, not quite four months after her 50th birthday. She has become a local running star, whether she’ll admit it or not. (She won the 2018 Race for the Cure women’s division, all age groups.) I’ve witnessed her devotion to the cause, her daily training (well beyond my reach), and the joy she’s taken through the agony of a last mile. You spend your working life admiring athletes from different circles, then find yourself cheering loudest for the person across the dinner table.


• As always, I’m grateful for Flyer readers. I hear from you year-round, appreciate your perspectives, counterpoints, and especially your passion for Memphis sports. The title of this column originated from my own devotion to fandom, to being part of the crowd that makes a sporting event — large or small — worthwhile. Thanks for keeping it alive these 17 years.
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Sports Tiger Blue

Tigers 59, East Carolina 41

A healthy Darrell Henderson proved to be plenty for the Tigers to secure their first road win of the 2018 season. Two weeks after leaving the Missouri game with an injury to his left hamstring, Henderson ran for 132 yards, caught three passes for 72 more, and scored three touchdowns to help Memphis end a two-game losing streak and improve to 5-4 on the season.

East Carolina erased a 31-17 halftime deficit and tied the score at 31 just five minutes into the third quarter when Pirate quarterback Holton Ahlers connected with Trevon Brown for a 31-yard touchdown. But the Tigers answered with a 75-yard scoring drive, Patrick Taylor plunging into the end zone from a yard out to give Memphis the lead for good. Henderson scored on the Tigers’ next two possessions, first on a 20-yard run, then on a 39-yard jaunt that followed a pair of Memphis penalties. The scores give Henderson 38 career touchdowns, two shy of Anthony Miller’s total and third in U of M history.

The Pirates scored on their opening possession of the game, a one-yard run by Darius Pinnix that followed a pass-interference call against Memphis in the end zone. But on the Tigers’ first possession, Henderson took a screen pass from Brady White and dashed 71 yards to pay dirt. Memphis trailed again (14-10) until Tony Pollard ran seven yards for a touchdown to open the second quarter. Pollard added another touchdown (one yard) late in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 89 rushing yards and 30 receiving.

White connected with Damonte Coxie for a 75-yard touchdown on the opening play of the second half. Coxie caught 10 passes for 176 yards while White completed 21 of 30 passes for 362 yards and three touchdowns.

Ahlers completed 34 of 62 passes for 449 yards and three scores for ECU. Brown caught 10 of his passes for 193 yards.The Pirates fall to 2-6 with the loss and are now 0-5 in the American Athletic Conference. Memphis improves to 2-3 in AAC play.

The Tigers return to the Liberty Bowl next Saturday to host Tulsa. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m.

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From My Seat Sports

Memphis Tigers Football: Lessons Learned (So Far)

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

When the Memphis Tigers take the field at East Carolina this Saturday, they will have gone 27 days without tasting a victory. That’s a long time in the course of a college football season, merely three months to separate programs with Top 25 aspirations from those happy with a mid-December bowl berth. Having lost two straight games — a heartbreaker to UCF and a thorough teeth-cleaning at Missouri — Memphis (4-4) will start its final third of the season knowing the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl may be this season’s pinnacle, in which case we’ll toss out the word “pinnacle.” What lessons can we take from the Tigers’ first eight games? Here are four.
Larry Kuzniewski

Darrell Henderson

• A soft September did this team no favors. I sat in the Liberty Bowl press box on October 6th as the Tigers wiped the field with UConn Huskies and had a rather uncomfortable conversation with another reporter, one who’s been covering the Tigers even longer than I have. “Who is this team? What’s their strength? Can Brady White beat a team with premium recruits? Is the defense as bad as it looked at Tulane?”

To be asking such questions in October is scary. Those of us who watch every snap of every Tiger game felt unfamiliar with a team almost halfway through its regular season. The Missouri spanking would have been better — big picture — had it taken place in early September. Coaches need to learn what they have, too. Whatever adjustments (to scheme or personnel) defensive coordinator Chris Ball might make will come too late to impact much of the season, and way too late to impact the Tigers’ chances for reaching the American Athletic Conference title game.

• The Tigers have dropped a notch in speed. This is the easiest team-wide component to measure on a football team. Strength and “football IQ” get lost in the mass of bodies on every play. But as one team outruns another — be it on offense or defense — games are won and lost. And the Memphis defense is surrendering big plays as though it’s down a man. After pulling within four points (21-17) at Mizzou, the Tigers gave up four touchdowns in less than nine minutes. A turnover played a role, but three of the Missouri scores covered at least 44 yards. Stare at the film as long as you’d like, but I’ll summarize: Missouri players outran Memphis players, all the way to the end zone. (Let’s acknowledge the SEC-AAC gap while we’re here. However much the Memphis program has grown in recent years, a mid-level SEC program is of a different talent stripe.)

• Memphis is not a bad football team. I’ll point you to the Tiger record book and circle recent records: 2-10 (2006), 2-10 (2009), 1-11 (2010), 2-10 (2011), 3-9 (2013). Memphis has fielded some boot-licking football teams since the turn of the century, but the 2018 bunch is not among them. With merely seven points against East Carolina, the Tigers will move into the top 10 teams in the program’s history as measured by points scored, and with at least three more full games to play. But as of today, the Tigers’ biggest win this season came over a Connecticut team that’s 1-7 and staring up from the AAC’s East Division cellar. This must change. A win over East Carolina (2-5) would do it, but barely. Memphis needs to circle the Houston game (November 23rd) in thick, red ink. The regular-season finale at the Liberty Bowl (the day after Thanksgiving) is the last chance the U of M will have to beat a team with real claws.

• Darrell Henderson is mortal. Proof came with a hamstring injury in the Missouri game, one that sidelined the Tigers’ star tailback after only four carries and 15 yards. Henderson’s in a virtual dead heat with Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor for the national lead in rushing, trailing in total yards (1,155 to 1,148) and yards per game (144.4 to 143.5). But Henderson’s yards per carry (10.1) dwarfs Taylor’s (6.4). Needless to say, Henderson faces a lighter schedule in November than does Taylor, so this will be a fun race to follow, particularly if Henderson is fully recovered from the hamstring tweak. (Coach Mike Norvell has indicated Henderson will play at East Carolina.)

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Sports Tiger Blue

Missouri 65, Tigers 33

In a matchup of Tigers Saturday afternoon, Missouri asserted itself as dramatically superior to the visitors from Memphis. In rolling up 646 yards against an overmatched Memphis defense, Missouri scored the most points against the Tigers in 39 years. (Florida State beat the Tigers 66-17 on November 17, 1979.)

Memphis quarterback Brady White entered the contest having thrown but one interception in seven games. He threw two in the loss, the first of them returned 42 yards for a touchdown by Christian Holmes early in the first quarter to give Mizzou a 14-0 lead. The Tigers closed the deficit to four points (21-17) early in the second quarter when White connected with Tony Pollard for a 30-yard touchdown. But Missouri scored four touchdowns over the final nine minutes of the first half to put the game out of reach. Two of the touchdowns were scored by Albert Okwuegbunam, who caught a third scoring strike from Mizzou quarterback Drew Lock in the third quarter.

Okwuegbunam finished the game with 159 yards on six receptions. Lock completed 23 of 29 passes for 350 yards and four touchdowns.

The country’s leading rusher, Memphis tailback Darrell Henderson, was limited to four carries (for 15 yards) by a hamstring injury and did not play in the second half. Patrick Taylor rushed for 103 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns. White completed only 15 of 37 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Damonte Coxie caught eight of the passes for 111 yards and a score.

The loss is the 28th in 31 games against SEC foes for Memphis since the Tigers upset of Tennessee in 1996. Their next SEC tilt will be against Ole Miss in the 2019 season opener. (Missouri will visit Memphis in 2023.)

The loss drops Memphis to 4-4 while Missouri improves to 4-3. The local Tigers have a bye week before traveling to East Carolina where they’ll resume American Athletic Conference play on November 3rd.

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Sports Tiger Blue

Tigers 52, South Alabama 35

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

“That was a game we needed,” said Memphis football coach Mike Norvell Saturday night at the Liberty Bowl, after his Tigers improved to 3-1 on the season. “We obviously didn’t play our best game. There are a lot of things we need to get corrected. But we got to see the heart of this football team.”
Larry Kuzniewski

Darrell Henderson

The Jaguars (of the Sun Belt Conference) knocked the Tiger defense around, particularly in the first half. An 11-yard touchdown pass from USA quarterback Evan Orth to Zac Crosby with less than a minute to play in the first half tied the score at 21 and left Norvell and his staff with some motivating to do at halftime. It wasn’t until the Tiger defense held the Jaguars on downs inside the Memphis 10-yard line — with the U of M leading 31-27 — that momentum felt firmly in favor of the home team. An ensuing 92-yard drive culminated in a 16-yard touchdown scamper by Tony Pollard (on a reverse) and provided the Tigers with enough to secure the victory.

“It was a very physical game,” said Norvell. “At halftime, we really challenged our guys to show what we’re made of. In the second half, we didn’t play a clean game. But they found a way to respond in every situation. They battled. I’m really pleased with the big guys on the offensive side of the ball.”

The Tigers surrendered 467 yards to the Jaguars, considerably more than they’d allowed any of their first three opponents. Orth completed 24 of 32 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns. Wideout Jamarius Way stretched the Memphis secondary, hauling in ten passes for 185 yards and a touchdown.
Larry Kuzniewski

Brady White

However staggered the Memphis defense may have been, the Tigers had Darrell Henderson to counter. The junior tailback got Memphis on the scoreboard with a 13-yard run midway through the first quarter to tie the game at 7. He scored again on an electric 54-yard sprint with 11:16 left in the game that gave Memphis a 45-27 lead. For the game, Henderson rushed for 188 yards on 22 carries, giving him 709 rushing yards in four games to go with nine total touchdowns.

Quarterback Brady White balanced the Tiger attack with 292 yards through the air, completing 22 of 29 attempts and two touchdowns, including an off-balance toss to Damonte Coxie who made an acrobatic catch in the back of the end zone in the third quarter for his fourth touchdown of the season. Coxie caught eight passes for 113 yards.

Curtis Akins led the Memphis defense with 11 tackles and sophomore cornerback T.J. Carter had seven solo stops. But Carter acknowledged the game is not a model for what remains on the Tiger schedule. “It goes to show you can’t under-estimate any team,” said Carter. “I feel like we prepared, but it’s a lesson learned. We’ve got a dominant defense, but today we took a step back. Gave up too many points. Most of that was on the back end. I’ll take full responsibility for the secondary.”

Despite its struggles, the Tiger defense recovered a pair of fumbles, including one inside the Memphis 10-yard line. Memphis did not commit a turnover.

Looking ahead, Norvell emphasized the importance of his team — both offense and defense — “winning their one-on-ones.” He applauded White’s interception-free outing and mentioned the versatility of his running game, led by the dynamic Henderson. “We wanted to be able to run the football,” said Norvell, “but we also wanted to create some space [for the passing game].”

The Tigers have a short week to prepare for their next game, a Friday-night visit to Tulane. With the exception of Missouri (on the road) on October 20th, the balance of the Memphis schedule (eight games) will be American Athletic Conference opposition. Navy lost to SMU Saturday, leaving the Midshipmen even with Memphis in league losses with one apiece.

NOTE: Senior pass-rusher Jackson Dillon left the game with an undisclosed injury and Norvell did not have an update during his postgame press conference.

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Sports Tiger Blue

Tigers 59, Georgia State 22

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

College football stars are born on the practice field and in the weight room. But they’re made on national television.

With the bright lights of ESPN illuminating the Liberty Bowl for a national audience Friday night, University of Memphis tailback Darrell Henderson became a college football star. The junior from Batesville, Mississippi, gashed the Georgia State defense for 233 yards and three touchdowns on merely 14 carries. He enjoyed a 54-yard jaunt to pay dirt in the first quarter, a 61-yarder early in the fourth quarter, and finished the contest just 30 yards shy of the Tigers’ single-game record of 263 set by DeAngelo Williams in 2004. Henderson has 521 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in merely three games. (With 27 career touchdowns, Henderson is now tied for fourth in Memphis history, still some distance behind the record 60 scored by Williams.)
Larry Kuzniewski

Darrell Henderson

“Darrell is explosive,” said Tiger coach Mike Norvell after his team improved to 2-1 for the season. “But what you don’t see is how hard he works in practice. He prepares himself. He’s matured. He gained between 15 and 20 pounds in the offseason. It makes him a more durable, more every-down back. But he’d be the first to credit the offensive line up front.”

Six days after a deflating loss at Navy, the Tigers regained their point-scoring mojo. The Memphis offense gained 410 yards on the ground with freshman Kenny Gainwell adding a 72-yard touchdown scamper to Henderson’s heroics. Quarterback Brady White matched his touchdown total from the season opener with five, completing 19 of 26 passes for 269 yards. Sophomore Damonte Coxie was White’s favorite target, hauling in six passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, Memphis averaged more than 10 yards per play with 679 on 62 snaps. The Panthers were held to 312 yards on 77 plays.

Norvell expressed special pride in a blocked point-after attempt by sophomore Joseph Dorceus late in the third quarter. The game was over on the scoreboard (45-16 at the time), but the play reflected collective heart after a 15-play Panther touchdown drive. And especially on national TV. “Some people downplay the stage,” said Norvell. “Anytime you get a chance for millions of people to see the identity of this football team . . . our brand has spread nationally. It’s impressive, the commitment from this community. Walk through that [renovated] locker room.”

Henderson became the 10th Tiger to surpass 2,000 career rushing yards. He was all smiles after the game (his second straight 200-yard performance), but deflected the emphasis on numbers. “I feel more comfortable this year,” he said. “Our offensive line has worked their tales off, and I believe in them. I trust them. I just go through my reads.”

Henderson acknowledged the added muscle has helped his game, allowing him to run over defenders as well as around them. “When I was lighter last year, it took more energy,” he said. “I enjoy running over people now.”

Linebacker Bryce Huff led the Tiger defense with a pair of sacks and Tito Windham had an acrobatic interception. But even the Tiger defenders got caught up in Henderson’s show. “When we get off the field, we’ll gather in a circle,” said Huff. “I see [Henderson] make one move and I know: six.”

The Tigers return to the Liberty Bowl for their next game on September 22nd, when South Alabama (like Georgia State, a Sun Belt Conference member) comes to town.