By: Sean Cartell
Sitting on the team plane bound for San Antonio following last season’s regular-season finale at Army, UTSA running back Robert Henry, Jr., was convinced he had played his final collegiate snap for the Roadrunners.
UTSA’s leading rusher a year ago, averaging 64.2 yards per game and totaling 706 net rushing yards, Henry suffered several sprains to his ankle in what he thought was his Senior Day game against Temple on Nov. 22. He had hoped to play in the game at Army but quickly realized during warmups that it wasn’t going to be possible.
Several weeks prior, he had joked with a former coach of his that, somehow, he would find an extra year of collegiate eligibility, not knowing that the NCAA was considering a blanket waiver that would allow former junior college players across the country an additional season of eligibility.
“We were on the plane when I saw the article pop up,” Henry said. “It was crazy. I screenshotted it and sent it to him. I wanted to come back.”
Henry has certainly made the most of his opportunities. Entering this weekend, he is the leading rusher in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 336 total rushing yards, an average of 168 per game. His 15.0 points scored per game rank third nationally.
Henry always had the confidence to believe that he could one day achieve his current level of success. He started playing football at the age of 4 – encouraged by his uncle Terry – and has long aspired to play in the National Football League.
His journey to this point, however, hasn’t always been an easy one.
Henry’s hometown is Lumberton, Mississippi (pop. 2086), not far from Hattiesburg in the southern part of the state. He played Class 1A football, earning Mr. Football honors in that classification twice in his career and being named all-state each of the four seasons of his prep career. Henry finished his career with 99 career touchdowns but was often overlooked.
“I graduated with like 35 people,” Henry said. “Coming out of high school, they didn’t really look at our program because we were 1A. I was a player that had the stats. If I was a star player in 5A or 6A, it would have been different. But it definitely paid off. They eventually found me. I knew it was going to happen, but I knew it would take time because of where I came from.”
With many junior college offers to consider, Henry decided to stay close to home, signing with Jones Junior College in Ellisville, approximately 50 miles from Lumberton. By the time his career at Jones was complete, Henry was the 2022 NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year, won the Walter Jones Trophy – awarded to the nation’s top junior college player, and led the nation in rushing with 1,302 yards as a sophomore.
Having racked up a significant amount of hardware during his two seasons playing at the junior college level, Henry was a highly sought-after recruit. The family atmosphere he found at UTSA drew him to the Roadrunners.
“UTSA was one of the schools that showed me the most love,” he said. “The coaches really care about you. They make you love the game. I wake up every morning ready to come to football.”
Henry’s top priority this season is helping his team win and, as he looks ahead to the future, he remains focused on his ultimate goal of becoming an NFL player. His development during the offseason has prepared Henry to do both.
“I’ve been working on knowing the game better,” he said. “I could have all the talent in the world, but if I don’t know the game, I can’t touch the field. As I’ve gotten older, I understand the game more and I’m comfortable in the meeting room. I’ve been looking at the D-line fronts and the coverages. I feel like that’s really going to take me to the next level and keep me there.”
Henry has earned the trust of his teammates who, for the second consecutive year, voted him into one of UTSA’s coveted single-digit uniforms.
“It means a lot,” Henry said. “They put all of your trust in you because they know you’re a hard worker. I feel like when I first got here, I wasn’t as locked in. I just love seeing my team win.”
For Henry, football has been central to every phase of his life. In the midst of a standout final year with the Roadrunners, he knows that his experiences at UTSA and every stop along the way will prepare him for the game’s highest level.
“Football is probably the greatest sport ever because it teaches you life lessons,” he said. “You meet and bond with new people. It will grow you as a man, most definitely will grow you as a football player, and it gives you an opportunity to take care of your family in the long run. The love here is unconditional. UTSA is a great school. If you want to go to the NFL, you can definitely go to the NFL from UTSA.”
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