Chants’ Henderson ready to build on breakout sophomore season

After declaring his intentions last year to challenge for Coastal Carolina’s single-season rushing record and coming up just a bit short in the process, junior De’Angelo Henderson says he’s not so concerned anymore with surpassing his predecessor Lorenzo Taliaferro’s mark.

He more than proved his worth in his debut season as a starter with 1,534 rushing yards – second-best in program history and ninth at the entire FCS level in 2014 – and besides, there’s something he wants far more.

“I’m not so focused on it,” he said of the record. “I’ve got people that remind me of it, but it’s really in the back of my head right now. If it happens, it happens. If it [doesn’t], then it’s not in God’s will. Like I [said], I just want to win a national championship.”

That’s been a familiar refrain from the Chanticleers’ veteran playmakers this preseason. Senior quarterback Alex Ross has stated it. Junior wide receiver Bruce Mapp has stated it.

After reaching the third round of the NCAA FCS playoffs each of the last two seasons – and closing the gap last year with four-time reigning FCS champion North Dakota State – the No. 5-ranked Chants have a palpable confidence that they can take the final steps this fall in their quest for a national title.

And in preparation to play his role in that pursuit, Henderson has challenged himself to match his record-setting predecessor in another way, adopting a version of the diet Taliaferro used his senior year to elevate his performance and transform himself into an NFL draft pick.

“Zo probably is the main person that really influenced me to [change my diet],” Henderson said. “We had, I want to say, a good almost hour conversation about that. He did it his senior year and everybody saw the difference. And the way he spoke about it – [former assistant coach Brock Olivo] preached it, but I was young and I really didn’t pay attention to it – but when Zo and I talked again about it and he said how heavy they push that at the next level, it’s something I definitely wanted to do.”

That talk came during last season and soon after the Chants were eliminated from the playoffs in a 39-32 loss at North Dakota State, Henderson reached out again to Taliaferro, who now plays for the Baltimore Ravens.

“It was probably like early January and I was like, ‘Yo, what do I got to do? What did you do?” Henderson recalled.

Coastal Carolina really couldn’t have asked any more last fall from the running back than he delivered in his first season carrying the load in the backfield.

As a third-year sophomore, he averaged 6.6 yards per carry on his way to those 1,534 rushing yards, scored 21 total touchdowns and was at his best when it mattered most, averaging 138.5 yards in the Chants’ two playoff games.

But Henderson felt he could do more, and whether his offseason changes lead to besting Taliaferro’s record 1,729 rushing yards from 2013 or not, he believes it will only help the Chants’ overall mission.

“It’s real important. You are what you eat. They stressed that. I didn’t really pay attention to it much in my earlier years, but it’s true,” he said. “What you put into your body is what you’re going to get out. I kind of understand that more now as I’m getting older. It’s worked out pretty good. I feel great, my energy is higher, my enthusiasm is more, I feel I can run for a longer period of time – I feel like a cross country runner – but it just feels good. I feel a lot better, I feel a lot healthier.”

Chants offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude says that was something he discussed with his star running back as well.

“We do have other backs that are good players that can spell him, but he’s a special guy,” Patenaude said. “When he has the ball in his hand, he just gets worn out a little bit [so the challenge is] ‘Can you be in the best physical shape you can possibly be in?’”

To get to that point, Henderson says he’s eliminated fast food, fried food of any kind, sugar and soda from his diet – with the exception of “Soda Sundays,” as he puts it.

“It’s not that I was eating it every day, but two, three times a week I was eating fast food. I would fry some foods and stuff like that. I’m a Southern boy, I fry foods,” he said. “But I canceled all that stuff out. I’m grilling my stuff now, baking stuff; no white rice, I do brown rice; I do fresh veggies, no canned veggies; no sugar, no soda except ‘Soda Sundays.’”

He says he’s right around 200-202 pounds, where he is most comfortable, but beyond the weight it’s all those other byproducts he mentioned that he feels have him poised for an even bigger 2015 season.

“I feel a lot better. I wish I did it sooner,” he said.

Which is all great for the Chants, because as Patenaude learned last year, it’s really hard to take Henderson out of the game, not knowing if the next carry might be the one he breaks for a long touchdown run.

With Henderson accepting the challenge to maximize his physical preparedness for the season, Patenaude is ready to maximize the junior running back’s opportunities this fall as well. That could mean using Henderson more as a receiver out of the slot after he caught 33 passes for 289 yards last year. One way or the other, it will mean a lot of work.

“You’d like to get him 25 touches a game, I think, would be a great number between catches and runs. There really is no magic number. The thing with him is he’s so prolific once he gets the ball – I think he’s averaged 6 yards a carry or something in his career – so at any point he can go 40, 50 yards with one,” Patenaude said. “… He’ll definitely get the number of carries or touches he needs to get for us to be successful.”

And again, whatever that adds up to in terms of stats, Henderson says he just wants to have an impact on that grander goal the Chants carry into the season.

“Anything I can help do, whether it’s me rushing for 1,500 or getting 80 catches,” he said. “I just want to help the guys and help the team win. That’s really all it is.”

This story was originally published August 30, 2015 at 6:53 PM with the headline "Chants’ Henderson ready to build on breakout sophomore season."