KB Henderson holds high hopes for Blue Ridge football in 2024

KB Henderson rushed for 1,095 yards and 15 touchdowns in his junior year at Blue Ridge.

Blue Ridge star running back KB Henderson didn’t imagine himself playing football.

In fact, Henderson didn’t begin playing the sport until his freshman year of high school. Even then, he still hadn’t found his footing as a running back.

He hadn’t even found the right side of the ball.

“In my first game my freshman year, I was playing outside linebacker,” said Henderson. “I remember coming around the edge one play. I grabbed the running back and slammed him to the ground.

“That was the first time I heard the crowd roaring for me, hearing my name on the intercom. My coaches on the sidelines were red in the face, screaming with excitment. It made me want to get that feeling again and again.”

Henderson began picking up snaps as the backup running back later that season. Progressively getting stronger and faster, Henderson racked up a career-high 1,095 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior last season.

Now, he never stops hearing his name on Friday nights.

“That first game of my junior year [against Chesnee], I had three touchdowns and 141 yards,” recalled Henderson. “I think it hit me at that point, like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m good at this. I can do this.”

Blue Ridge head coach John Boggs agrees. Henderson averaged over 20 carries a game last season in Boggs’ offense. He’s seen Henderson’s growth firsthand and trusts the senior back to lead the Tigers.

“He wants to win. He’s the ultimate competitor,” said Boggs. “He’s going to do everything at such a high level and pull his teammates right along with him. That’s the most rewarding thing for us as coaches, seeing KB and some of the other seniors take the reins.”

TEARS IN HIS EYES

Henderson’s ability to lead the Tigers, he suspects, stems from his own journey of overcoming adversity.

After a freshman season where he racked up over 600 yards in just half a season playing running back, Henderson was poised to take the next step as a sophomore. His coaches salivated at his potential.

A broken hand put a halt to those plans.

“We thought he was going to be able to make it back for the season,” said Boggs. “But every conversation we had, the date kept getting pushed back.”

Trainers and medical personnel originally told Henderson he’d be back by July practices. Soon, they gave him a target return date of week one. Week two. Week six, in time for region play. Playoffs.

Henderson never hit the field his sophomore season.

“What hurt the worst about that was after every game we lost that year, teammates would tell me things like, ‘Hey, we miss you, man.’ That’s what really hurt,” said Henderson. “Those dudes were out there working hard and coming up short by one or two points. I feel like I could’ve made that difference.”

“I’ll tell you this,” said Blue Ridge running backs coach Travis Henson. “That season, he had tears in his eyes a lot. But the level of frustration, I think, represents your level of care. He wouldn’t have been so frustrated if he didn’t care so much.”

HIGH HOPES

With just one year left of his high school career, Henderson is weighing his options after graduation. He wants to play football in college. He’s heading off to showcase his skills at a camp at the University of Tennessee in about 24 hours.

But as Henderson looks around the Tigers’ weight room, scanning the photos of past football greats (and even a picture of himself) on the wall, he knows his focus is on the here and now.

Henderson has high hopes for what the Tigers can accomplish in 2024.

“My goal for this year isn’t really about me at all,” said Henderson. “I can go for 2,000 yards, but if we aren’t winning, it doesn’t matter… I feel like we have the opportunity to be the best team Blue Ridge has ever had.

“I’m going to do my part to be consistent and lift the guys around me up, too. That’s how we’ll get where we really want to go.”