Is Travis Henry the greatest high school player in Florida History? + more - The Orange Mane

GonzoLays · 05-05-2007, 09:19 PM

Let his stats speak for themselves:

FLORIDA

Player of the year: Travis Henry, RB, Frostproof, 5-11, 212. Broke national season rushing record with 363 carries for 4,087 yards, including 328 on 34 carries in 67-30 loss to Union County in Class 3A championship. In that game, he had TD runs of 66, 55 and 17, a 66-yard TD reception and three 2-point conversion runs to account for all 30 Frostproof points. Ran for at least 200 yards in all 14 games (team was 12-2) and tied state record with 19 career 200-yard games.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m..._53530997/pg_2

Old article from 97..

Quite simply, Tennessee wouldn't be where it is without Henry's hard-earned head-butting yardage.

But Henry's story and his input go beyond yardage totals. He has established himself as an anchor in an offense that was retooled after Manning left.

"He doesn't say much but that's OK with me," center Spencer Riley says. "He just wants the ball. The more he gets it, the happier he is. You want that kind of guy in the backfield."

Offensive linemen relate to Henry because, in a sense, he's cut from the same cloth. He is listed at 5-11 but is closer to 5-9, and his 224 pounds are distributed a bit unevenly, with heavy emphasis on a heavy lower body.

"Henry's a big, physical back," says Arkansas co-defensive coordinator Keith Burns, whose unit was plowed under for 197 yards on 32 carries by Henry. "I don't know how much he weighs. If he's 220, 200 of that is from the waist down."

Says Vols offensive tackle Jarvis Reado: "He's like having an offensive lineman running the ball. He's not afraid to take a hit. Most of the time, he just runs over guys."

Henry already was something of a legend when he arrived at Tennessee in 1997. He ran for a national high school record 4,087 yards in his senior season in Frostproof, Fla. Yes, 4,087 yards in one season.

"And I didn't carry the ball all that much," Henry says. "We had a pretty balanced offense."

Richie Marsh, his high school coach, says the most carries Henry had in one game was 30. He once ran for 436 yards in a game, but his best all-around performance was a 289-yard showpiece against rival Pahokee High.

"We started feeding him the ball," Marsh says, "and it was like something from NFL Films."

But there were some difficult moments between high school superstardom and his emergence as the No. 1 tailback on the nation's top-ranked team. Henry was suspended for the final five games of the '97 season after a dormitory incident, and later he considered leaving the team.

"I talked with my family and friends about it, and I prayed about it," he says. "I'm glad I made the right decision. God works in some strange ways."

If Henry hadn't returned to Tennessee, it is doubtful the Vols would be undefeated.

Beyond that, Henry would be minus at least two nicknames--"G" and "Cheese."

During an interview with several reporters the week after Lewis' injury, it was noted that team mates and coaches refer to Henry as "G" in order to differentiate him from fellow tailback Travis Stephens.

An older, not-quite-with-it reporter hovering nearby asked for a clarification.

"What's that again?"

Henry: "They call him Travis. They call me `G.'"

"Why?"

Henry: "It's short for `O.G.'--Original Gangsta. One of my friends started calling me that because I look like the guy in the movie, and it stuck.... You ever seen the movie South Central? I guess you ain't."

The same assessment could be used to analyze his wide-thighed push through SEC defenses. Anybody seen Travis Henry tackled on the first hit? I guess you ain't.

Nicknames seem to follow him like yapping dogs chasing a mailman. As his star rose with a succession of 100-yard games, "G" gave way to "Cheese.

And before you ask, yes, this nickname comes with a story attached. During one preseason scrimmage in which Henry left an impression on the Vols' defense, teammate Corey Terry got up from one particularly violent collision and told Henry he was "hard as welfare cheese."

This has been modified to "Block Of Cheese" or simply "Cheese," not to be confused with Fordham's "Seven Blocks of Granite" in the 1930s.

It is, however, the right food group for Tennessee's balanced offensive diet. When in doubt, the Volunteers look at the camera and say, "Cheese."

Los Broncos · 05-05-2007, 09:25 PM

Wow, thats impressive, i think hes going to work out great for us.

-Slap- · 05-05-2007, 09:27 PM

Emmitt Smith.

He still holds the national high school record of 45 100-yard rushing games.

He ran for 8,804 yards at Escambia high (third highest total in HS football history) and 106 TDs in his prep career.

GonzoLays · 05-05-2007, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Slap-

Emmitt Smith.

He still holds the national high school record of 45 100-yard rushing games.

He ran for 8,804 yards at Escambia high (third highest total in HS football history) and 106 TDs in his prep career.

Party pooper.

GonzoLays · 05-05-2007, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynchmob72

Wow, thats impressive, i think hes going to work out great for us.

Exactly. The more I read about Henry, the more I realize how talented and how misused he has been since high school. He gets to the University of Tennessee and he is playing behind Jamal Lewis. Gets to Buffalo, they draft Willis McGahee. In Tennessee, he splits time with Chris Brown and they draft Lendale White.

Finally, he has the chance to be the man. He should put up big numbers.

Los Broncos · 05-05-2007, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GonzoLays

Exactly. The more I read about Henry, the more I realize how talented and how misused he has been since high school. He gets to the University of Tennessee and he is playing behind Jamal Lewis. Gets to Buffalo, they draft Willis McGahee. In Tennessee, he splits time with Chris Brown and they draft Lendale White.

Finally, he has the chance to be the man. He should put up big numbers.

Im glad we signed him instead of the others, seems to be all together.

Broncoman13 · 05-06-2007, 12:45 AM

If he can hang on to the football he'll be a badass!

He's not a Florida back, but Cedric Benson while at Midland Lee had some pretty nice #'s. I'll look them up and post later.

Broncoman13 · 05-06-2007, 12:51 AM

Cedric Benson attended Lee High School in Midland, Texas, and finished his career with 8,423 rushing yards in his career (the most in Texas 5A history and the fourth most in Texas high school football history). He led his team to three consecutive State Championships, and rushed for a total of 15 touchdowns in the three championship games.

Coached by John Parchman at Midland Lee High … a Parade All-American … three-time Texas 5A Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-state back who rushed for 8,423 career yards (fourth-most in Texas history/first in Class 5A history) … scored 127 career TDs (second-most in Texas history/third-most nationally) … averaged 183.1 yards and 2.8 TDs per game during his career … rushed for 100 or more yards in 33 of his final 34 games and scored in 36 of his final 37 outings … posted five career 300-yard rushing games … led team to a 43-3 record and three consecutive Texas 5A Division I State Championships (just the fourth team in Texas history to win three consecutive titles in Class 5A) … rushed for 680 yards on 90 carries (7.6 avg.) and scored a state-record 15 TDs in the three state title game victories … named USA Today’s Texas Player of the Year and was a finalist (Southwest Region winner) for the High School Heisman in 2000 … rushed for 2,871 yards and 43 TDs and caught nine passes for 233 yards and three TDs as a senior … rushed for 255 yards and scored five TDs in leading Lee to a 33-21 win against Austin Westlake in the 2000 title game … Lee finished the year with a 13-2 record and a No. 8 national ranking (USA Today) … ran for 3,526 yards and 44 TDs and caught 14 passes for 360 yards and seven TDs in leading Lee to a 15-0 record and the USA Today High School National Championship as a junior … had 198 yards rushing and five TDs in the 1999 State Championship win against Eisenhower … ran for 2,026 yards and 30 TDs in leading Lee to a 15-1 record and a final national ranking of No. 10 as a sophomore … ran for 237 yards and five TDs in the 1998 State Championship win against San Antonio MacArthur … also was an outstanding centerfielder for the baseball squad … hit .361 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in District 4-5A games as a senior … drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round (370th overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft.

05-05-2007, 09:19 PM	#1
GonzoLays Five Tool Poster Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 5,650 Adopt-a-Bronco: #3 DJ	Is Travis Henry the greatest high school player in Florida History? + more Let his stats speak for themselves: FLORIDA Player of the year: Travis Henry, RB, Frostproof, 5-11, 212. Broke national season rushing record with 363 carries for 4,087 yards, including 328 on 34 carries in 67-30 loss to Union County in Class 3A championship. In that game, he had TD runs of 66, 55 and 17, a 66-yard TD reception and three 2-point conversion runs to account for all 30 Frostproof points. Ran for at least 200 yards in all 14 games (team was 12-2) and tied state record with 19 career 200-yard games. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m..._53530997/pg_2 Old article from 97.. Quite simply, Tennessee wouldn't be where it is without Henry's hard-earned head-butting yardage. But Henry's story and his input go beyond yardage totals. He has established himself as an anchor in an offense that was retooled after Manning left. "He doesn't say much but that's OK with me," center Spencer Riley says. "He just wants the ball. The more he gets it, the happier he is. You want that kind of guy in the backfield." Offensive linemen relate to Henry because, in a sense, he's cut from the same cloth. He is listed at 5-11 but is closer to 5-9, and his 224 pounds are distributed a bit unevenly, with heavy emphasis on a heavy lower body. "Henry's a big, physical back," says Arkansas co-defensive coordinator Keith Burns, whose unit was plowed under for 197 yards on 32 carries by Henry. "I don't know how much he weighs. If he's 220, 200 of that is from the waist down." Says Vols offensive tackle Jarvis Reado: "He's like having an offensive lineman running the ball. He's not afraid to take a hit. Most of the time, he just runs over guys." Henry already was something of a legend when he arrived at Tennessee in 1997. He ran for a national high school record 4,087 yards in his senior season in Frostproof, Fla. Yes, 4,087 yards in one season. "And I didn't carry the ball all that much," Henry says. "We had a pretty balanced offense." Richie Marsh, his high school coach, says the most carries Henry had in one game was 30. He once ran for 436 yards in a game, but his best all-around performance was a 289-yard showpiece against rival Pahokee High. "We started feeding him the ball," Marsh says, "and it was like something from NFL Films." But there were some difficult moments between high school superstardom and his emergence as the No. 1 tailback on the nation's top-ranked team. Henry was suspended for the final five games of the '97 season after a dormitory incident, and later he considered leaving the team. "I talked with my family and friends about it, and I prayed about it," he says. "I'm glad I made the right decision. God works in some strange ways." If Henry hadn't returned to Tennessee, it is doubtful the Vols would be undefeated. Beyond that, Henry would be minus at least two nicknames--"G" and "Cheese." During an interview with several reporters the week after Lewis' injury, it was noted that team mates and coaches refer to Henry as "G" in order to differentiate him from fellow tailback Travis Stephens. An older, not-quite-with-it reporter hovering nearby asked for a clarification. "What's that again?" Henry: "They call him Travis. They call me `G.'" "Why?" Henry: "It's short for `O.G.'--Original Gangsta. One of my friends started calling me that because I look like the guy in the movie, and it stuck.... You ever seen the movie South Central? I guess you ain't." The same assessment could be used to analyze his wide-thighed push through SEC defenses. Anybody seen Travis Henry tackled on the first hit? I guess you ain't. Nicknames seem to follow him like yapping dogs chasing a mailman. As his star rose with a succession of 100-yard games, "G" gave way to "Cheese. And before you ask, yes, this nickname comes with a story attached. During one preseason scrimmage in which Henry left an impression on the Vols' defense, teammate Corey Terry got up from one particularly violent collision and told Henry he was "hard as welfare cheese." This has been modified to "Block Of Cheese" or simply "Cheese," not to be confused with Fordham's "Seven Blocks of Granite" in the 1930s. It is, however, the right food group for Tennessee's balanced offensive diet. When in doubt, the Volunteers look at the camera and say, "Cheese."

05-05-2007, 09:27 PM	#3
-Slap- Ring of Famer Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 31,895	Emmitt Smith. He still holds the national high school record of 45 100-yard rushing games. He ran for 8,804 yards at Escambia high (third highest total in HS football history) and 106 TDs in his prep career. Last edited by -Slap-; 05-05-2007 at 09:30 PM..

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05-05-2007, 09:25 PM	#2
Los Broncos Ring of farmers Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Anaheim Hills, Santa Ana Mountains CA Posts: 18,766 Adopt-a-Bronco: Ryan Clady	Wow, thats impressive, i think hes going to work out great for us.

05-06-2007, 12:45 AM	#7
Broncoman13 Broncoholic JT #80 Join Date: May 2001 Location: Colorado Posts: 16,961 Adopt-a-Bronco: Orange Julius	If he can hang on to the football he'll be a badass! He's not a Florida back, but Cedric Benson while at Midland Lee had some pretty nice #'s. I'll look them up and post later.

05-06-2007, 12:51 AM	#8
Broncoman13 Broncoholic JT #80 Join Date: May 2001 Location: Colorado Posts: 16,961 Adopt-a-Bronco: Orange Julius	Cedric Benson attended Lee High School in Midland, Texas, and finished his career with 8,423 rushing yards in his career (the most in Texas 5A history and the fourth most in Texas high school football history). He led his team to three consecutive State Championships, and rushed for a total of 15 touchdowns in the three championship games. Coached by John Parchman at Midland Lee High … a Parade All-American … three-time Texas 5A Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-state back who rushed for 8,423 career yards (fourth-most in Texas history/first in Class 5A history) … scored 127 career TDs (second-most in Texas history/third-most nationally) … averaged 183.1 yards and 2.8 TDs per game during his career … rushed for 100 or more yards in 33 of his final 34 games and scored in 36 of his final 37 outings … posted five career 300-yard rushing games … led team to a 43-3 record and three consecutive Texas 5A Division I State Championships (just the fourth team in Texas history to win three consecutive titles in Class 5A) … rushed for 680 yards on 90 carries (7.6 avg.) and scored a state-record 15 TDs in the three state title game victories … named USA Today’s Texas Player of the Year and was a finalist (Southwest Region winner) for the High School Heisman in 2000 … rushed for 2,871 yards and 43 TDs and caught nine passes for 233 yards and three TDs as a senior … rushed for 255 yards and scored five TDs in leading Lee to a 33-21 win against Austin Westlake in the 2000 title game … Lee finished the year with a 13-2 record and a No. 8 national ranking (USA Today) … ran for 3,526 yards and 44 TDs and caught 14 passes for 360 yards and seven TDs in leading Lee to a 15-0 record and the USA Today High School National Championship as a junior … had 198 yards rushing and five TDs in the 1999 State Championship win against Eisenhower … ran for 2,026 yards and 30 TDs in leading Lee to a 15-1 record and a final national ranking of No. 10 as a sophomore … ran for 237 yards and five TDs in the 1998 State Championship win against San Antonio MacArthur … also was an outstanding centerfielder for the baseball squad … hit .361 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in District 4-5A games as a senior … drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round (370th overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft.