Sports Reporter
If you make the trip to Stocker Stadium on game day for Colorado Mesa University, you might see freshman quarterback Chris Henderson leading the Maverick offense. His footwork and his throwing ability enable him to make special plays that give opposing defenses fits. This makes him a unique and valuable addition to the team this season. However, what football fans do not see on the field makes him even more interesting. The man inside the Maverick helmet is the catalyst to the athlete running the plays on Friday nights.
Chris Henderson was born in Abilene, Texas, before moving to Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, Henderson attended Centennial High School, where he excelled in football, basketball, and baseball. His most successful sport was football, as he won a Little League City Championship and earned All-Region honors in High School. Henderson attributed his athletic ability to his success in football and was even being recruited to play wide receiver.
When it came time to choose a college, Henderson chose CMU mainly because of the relationship he built with the Maverick coaching staff.
“I really enjoyed meeting Coach Ramunno and the rest of the coaching staff while on my visit here,” Henderson said. “Grand Junction reminds me a little bit of home which also made my decision earlier.”
Coming into a veteran program as a freshman can be daunting for any athlete in any sport, and Henderson was no different. He commented on the difficulty of leaving a program where he was a dominant performer to a university where the expectations are much higher.
“Nobody knew who I was, coming in, so I had to prove myself all over again to a new team and coaching staff,” Henderson said.
Henderson arrived on campus as a receiver, but due to the change in offensive scheme, the coaching staff decided that it was in the best interest of the team to move him back to his most comfortable position as a quarterback. Henderson has performed well so far, going 6-11 for 23 yards and rushing for 23 yards in a 29-3 loss to Humboldt State. Henderson claims that the toughest part of college football compared to high school is the speed of the game and the size of the players.
“I can’t rely on my athletic ability alone to make plays anymore like I did in high school,” Henderson said. “The pace of the game is much faster now and the defensive players are much bigger.”
However, Henderson has the intangibles that every great quarterback needs to thrive in any situation on the field. His ability to stay calm in adverse situations and not show his emotion is a trait that cannot be taught.
“You won’t get much emotion out of me,” he said. “That’s just how I am on and off the field. I’m very nonchalant.”
He has four years to develop his skills to achieve his potential. He wants to bring an RMAC championship to Grand Junction for the first time since 2003.
Henderson is a kinesiology major with the hopes of becoming a high school football coach. His favorite hobby is working with cars and also enjoys watching CSI: Las Vegas. Since he was born in Texas, Henderson stays loyal to his birthplace when it comes to sports by rooting for the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, and Texas Longhorns. His favorite place to eat in Grand Junction is Rooster’s because of their 10-cent wings on Tuesdays.
Henderson and the Mavs host Nebraska-Kearney this Saturday at noon at Stocker Stadium.
mfreter@mavs.coloradomesa.edu
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