Josh Henderson key to Marion’s big-play scoring

Josh Henderson does not dance. While that might be irritating for his prom date, it’s a much bigger issue for opposing football defenses.

Whether the ball is in his hands from a kickoff, punt, pass or handoff, once Marion County’s versatile senior tucks it under his arm and surveys the field, he doesn’t hesitate or dance around waiting for his chance to make a play. It’s that ability to anticipate his blocks, dissect where the opening will come and then burst past defenders that has made Henderson the biggest home run threat on one of the area’s highest scoring offenses.

“You can’t ever dance once you get the ball,” Warriors coach Ricky Ross said. “Especially not on a kick or punt return. If you dance, you’re done. You just give the defense time to catch up and swarm. Josh has a lot in common with some of the best athletes I’ve coached, those kids who stick their foot in the ground and make sudden changes in angles that make them tough to catch or tackle.”

There are other options on offense, but when the second-ranked Warriors (10-1), who average 45 points, travel to fifth-ranked Forrest (10-1) for a Class 2A second-round playoff game Friday, they again will count on Henderson’s big-play capabilities against a defense that allows just 10 points per game.

“Ask any coach out there and they’ll tell you how important it is to have that guy that’s a home run threat,” added Ross, who coached for 10 years at Calhoun, where he saw some of the area’s top athletes each season. “It can be the difference maker in the playoffs, the back-breaker you need to get by good teams.

“You don’t get to coach many like him, and other teams know if they give (No.) 21 a seam, it’s six points. There’s no doubt, for what we do and who Josh is for us, he’s very special.”

The 5-foot-11, 188-pound Henderson was named one of four semifinalists for the state’s 2A Mr. Football Back of the Year as much for his eye-catching big-play numbers as for the fact that he has found ways to stand out, even on an offense designed not to feature just one player.

Making the most of limited opportunities this season he’s averaged a first down on every carry (10.4) in rushing for 1,373 yards despite the Warriors having six games in which nine players had at least six carries. He has also returned an astonishing six kickoffs for touchdowns (averaging 38.3 per return), brought back two punts for scores and blocked three kicks. Defensively he has 88 tackles, nine for lost yardage and three sacks.

“They’ve got a lot of good athletes, but he’s the one who can turn a 5-yard run into 50 yards in a second, so you have to know where he is on every play,” said Boyd-Buchanan defensive coordinator Wesley Stone. “He’s a headache to plan for because there’s so many ways they can get him the ball. Just a fantastic player.”

When Ross took over the Warriors program, he saw potential in a scrawny sophomore who barely weighed 160 pounds. In two seasons Henderson has lived up to Ross’s belief, accumulating more than 3,000 total yards and 12 special-teams TDs, and he is trying to help a young team make a return trip to the state-title game.

“Coming up short last year has been extra motivation for all of us,” Henderson said. “Growing up here, winning a state championship is something I’ve thought about and dreamed about since little league. You hear about all the guys who won one here and you want to be able to say you did it as a player, too.

“I’ll do whatever the coaches think will help us win. We’ve got a lot of good players, which means you may not get many chances to get the ball, and that’s why I know, in the back of my mind, when I do get it I have to do everything I can to make something special happen.”

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.