“Our backfield is very
By any standard, Memphis running back Darrell Henderson’s hot start to the season has been remarkable.
He leads the nation in rushing (521 yards), yards per carry (14.5) and yards per game (173.7). His 233-yard performance in Saturday’s win over Georgia State put him alongside DeAngelo Williams as the only Memphis backs to have back-to-back 200-yard games.
The Memphis media notes for this week’s game against South Alabama devoted a full page spread to Henderson’s season and career accomplishments, including becoming the 10th back in school history to rush for 2,000 career yards.
Yet the question remains. Why is Henderson, who was named AAC offensive co-player of the week on Monday, averaging only 12 carries a game this season?
Henderson had 14 carries in Saturday’s win, and his 36 carries this season are far lower than the two players behind him on the national rushing list.
Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor and Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry have 77 and 72 carries, respectively. Of the top 10 rushers in the country, the next lowest in total carries is Virginia’s Jordan Ellis with 51.
Tigers coach Mike Norvell offered one explanation Monday during his weekly press conference. Memphis’ starters haven’t run enough plays this season.
“He played the first half of Game 1,” Norvell said, referring to the team’s win over Mercer. “Due to the circumstance of turning the ball over, we only had 49 snaps (against Navy), which is the lowest we’ve ever had.”
Henderson was lifted against Mercer in the second half along with most of the starters. Memphis ran 62 plays in Saturday’s win.
For the season, Memphis has run 197 plays, which is 90th among FBS teams. Last season, the Tigers averaged 74.2 plays per game, and in three games, they’re averaging 65.7 plays.
Norvell also said Henderson’s touches were affected by Georgia State putting eight men in the box, so while the Tigers ran the ball earlier, it also created Yards per carry
favorable matchups for receivers or on the perimeter.
Brady White took advantage by throwing for five touchdowns, four in the first half. Still, Memphis ran for 410 yards on Saturday, the most the Tigers have had in a game since 1972.
While Henderson had only 14 carries, the next closest in carries was Patrick Taylor, who had five.
After Saturday’s game, Henderson said his number of carries didn’t bother him because he knows the depth Memphis has.
“Our backfield is very talented and I want us all to get the ball, so when I get the ball, I just try to do my job,” Henderson said.
One could argue that Henderson’s few carries are keeping him fresh for the remainder of the season. On the other hand, the Tigers weren’t afraid to rely heavily on receiver Anthony Miller last season when it was clear he could dominate any matchup.
Memphis (2-1) faces a South Alabama (1-2) team on Saturday that has given up 184.3 rushing yards per game. It seems ripe for another big game by Henderson, and to Norvell’s credit, he knows more and more what he has in his leading rusher.
“Darrell is a definitely a special back, and he’s going to get plenty of opportunities,” Norvell said.
“He knows what to do when he gets the ball in his hands.”