'Canes All-Access Video: Big Man on Campus, Seantrel's First Interview
Dec. 3, 2010
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By: Rob Dunning
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -Seantrel Henderson sat in his locker somewhere in the bowels of Death Valley on a cold October morning with the prospects of having to face an All-America defensive end in a hostile environment in his first career start weighing on his mind.
“I was nervous the whole time,” Henderson said. “At first I didn’t even want to put my jersey on. But once I got out there, we started getting warmed up and I started getting hyped with the team and after that first play everything went away.”
That afternoon in Clemson, S.C., Henderson and the Hurricanes had their way with the Tigers and eventual ACC Defensive Player of the Year Da’Quan Bowers. The game was a coming out party for Henderson, who went on to start – and thrive – in each of Miami’s last nine regular season games.
At 6-foot-8, 355-pounds, Henderson’s size, quickness, work ethic and attitude have proven to be just as good as advertised since the mammoth right tackle arrived on campus this summer as the nation’s top recruit.
“Seantrel comes in the door on Aug. 14 and he is the fourth-team right tackle and he worked his way up,” Stoutland said. “We just don’t give anything away here. He worked his way up there and when [Joel Figueroa] got hurt, that was the perfect opportunity to really push [Seantrel]. I knew just from the raw talent that it wouldn’t take long. He just had to learn playbook.”
That is exactly what he did.
And despite arriving on campus later than anyone on the roster, Henderson didn’t miss a beat.
“I had to work,” Henderson said. “Study my playbook, study the calls and start doing what the rest of the o-line was doing.”
Knowing how difficult a spot Henderson was put in arriving so late on campus, senior Orlando Franklin and the rest of the offensive line went out of their way to welcome him into the family.
“They pulled me under their wings and I thank them for that,” Henderson said. “Big O was the first one I met. He pretty much told me how everything works around here so I could start to know…pretty much showing me the ropes.”
The learning process was accelerated, but nothing was missed on Henderson’s part. Daily meetings with Stoutland – whether scheduled or just to chat – has been just as vital to his development off the field as well.
“Stout is on us every day,” Henderson said. “Every day he is on us about school, he is on us about what we do in practice, how we practice and our attitudes. As long as I get to hear him every day, I always have his voice in my head anytime when I’m thinking about something.”
“He is a bright kid and I knew that if we nicked away at it and he [would do] a great job,” Stoutland said. “By the end of the year, he just kept picking up steam and showing stuff. He’s not all done yet – there is still a lot of room for improvement – but I can tell you this, from the time he started to today, you are looking at a much-improved player.”
The `Canes are better for it. Since that day in Death Valley, Miami is averaging 440.7 yards per game on offense – including an average of 212.2 on the ground – with Henderson playing most of the snaps. The protection has been better (Stoutland’s unit allowed just 16 sacks this season compared to 35 a season ago) and the ground game has noticeably improved over recent years.
Henderson has had some big games down the stretch (92 percent grade and three pancakes vs. UNC; 89 percent grade and six pancakes vs. Maryland) but his first bowl game and a chance to win one for Stoutland and the seniors remains the focus.
“I think [winning] it is real important,” Henderson said. “I think the last game is going to bring us together as a team.”
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