Henderson
“My time will come,” he said. “I'm being patient and just continue working hard. When my number is called, I'm going to make plays.”
Henderson didn't play as a senior in high school because Virginia canceled the season due to COVID-19. But he didn't just sit around.
“Even when I didn't play football, I was still working hard every day,” Henderson said. “I was working out like three times a day.”
He enrolled at Ohio State in January and showed from the start the hype was justified.
Henderson acknowledged having pregame jitters before the Minnesota game. He was the deep man on Minnesota kickoffs but didn't get a chance to return any of them.
He got his feet wet with the 10-yard carry in the second quarter and then reentered the game with the Buckeyes leading 31-24 early in the fourth quarter. Two plays after he ran for 5 yards, Henderson caught a swing pass from C.J. Stroud. He turned upfield, got some key downfield blocks and blew past the Minnesota defenders.
“I saw him grab the ball and take off and hit that gear, and nobody was catching him,” center Luke Wypler said. “I thought it was pretty spectacular.
Just before crossing the goal line, Henderson flashed a peace sign.
“I was just excited,” he said.
But he said he won't do it again.
Coaches chastised him for it.
“They just want me to be smart and not cause any penalties because the play could have gotten called back,” Henderson said. “I just have to be smarter.”
Crediting the work he's put in, Henderson said he didn't feel rusty despite not playing in a game for nearly two years. And he's already ready to put his debut behind him.
“I'm getting tired of seeing the touchdown,” he said.
Henderson figures to score plenty more.
“I don't know exactly what the role is going to end up looking like,” Day said. “He's going to play a lot of football. We've seen big-play ability in him.
“He only had a couple of touches here the other night. I wish we had gotten more for a lot of guys, but he's got to continue to build on it and grow.”
His teammates are excited to watch it happen.
“As a true freshman, that kid's really an unbelievable talent,” Wypler said. “I'm excited to see what he's going to be able to do in the years to come.”
When asked to elaborate on his “just the beginning” comment, Henderson demurred, saying he didn't want to make any public declarations.
“I'm never satisfied with what I do,” he said. “I always feel like I've got to do better.
“I'm always hungry. I've got to stay hungry because that was nothing. I've got to continue to make those plays over and over.” Brabinowitz@dispatch.com @brdispatch