Football preview: Booker High

They all said it couldn’t be done.

He simply wasn’t a quarterback.

Defensive lineman, sure.

Signal-caller? Not possible.

But, for Jeremiah Henderson, there was never any doubt.

Even at 6 feet, 4 inches and 250 pounds, Henderson knew he was meant to be under center.

It was the only position he had ever known. It was where he felt at home.

“All of my life, that’s all I wanted to do,” Henderson says. “I always wanted to play quarterback (in high school). It’s the spotlight. Everyone looks up to you.”

During his freshman and sophomore seasons at Riverview High, the former Sarasota Gator was moved over to the defensive side of the ball as a lineman, in large part because of his size.

Following his sophomore season, Henderson transferred to Booker High in hopes of returning to his former position.

Henderson was named Booker’s starting quarterback at the beginning of the 2013 season and helped lead the Tornadoes to a 7-4 record and a berth in the regional semifinals.

In the regional quarterfinals, Henderson further solidified himself as a quarterback, connecting with running back Marlon Mack for a 65-yard, game-winning touchdown with less than a minute to play. The touchdown propelled Booker to a 33-27 come-from-behind victory over Island Coast.

“I knew if he didn’t catch it, no one was going to catch it,” Henderson says. “It was overwhelming. It’s one of those memories you’ll never forget. Words can’t explain that feeling.”

That moment not only propelled Booker deeper into the playoffs, but it also gave Henderson another chance to prove his doubters wrong.

Now, as he prepares for his final high school season, Henderson is still driven to prove himself as a quarterback. Henderson spent the offseason looking at highlight films of former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who also stands at 6-4, to see how he moved around in the pocket, the different balls that he threw and how he reacted to different forms of coverage.

Although some may see his height as a disadvantage, Henderson sees it as a positive.

“I think quarterbacks are meant to be big,” Henderson says. “I can see over the line with no problem, and it helps me avoid pressure. Also, those blindside hits don’t hurt as much.”

Henderson is hoping to not only build off last season’s success by leading the Tornadoes to their first district championship since 2007 but also to show he’s capable of playing at the next level.

“It would mean a lot because (early) in high school, I was doubted,” says Henderson, who has already received an offer from Middle Tennessee State University. “They didn’t look at me as a quarterback. I wasn’t given reps at quarterback, and now I’m being recruited by Division I schools. It just proves that I can play quarterback.”

BOOKER HIGH 2014 Football Roster
1 Artie Henry SR WR
2 Osirus Mitchell JR WR
3 Michael Rivers JR QB
4 Stanley Collins JR MLB
5 Gerod Jones SR WR
6 Spencer Carter JR CB
7 Jermaine Belvin Jr. JR WR
8 Jamal Benson SO RB
9 Damon Golden SR TE
10 Jeremiah Henderson SR QB
11 Omar Davis JR RB
12 Leander Hewitt JR QB
13 Cedric Lee SR OLB
14 Demetrion Higdon — —
15 D’Andre Bass JR DE
16 Calvin Williams — —
17 Javaris Williams Jr. — —
18 Jacory Williams SO QB
19 Sherrod Lee JR RB
20 Josh Campbell SO RB
21 Joseph Cooper JR —
22 Emmanuel Blackshire — —
23 Cody DeSario JR MLB
24 Tory Mitchell SO WR
25 Dariente Singletary JR CB
30 Josh Campbell — ­—
31 Anthony Fuller SO CB
32 Vincent Sellars SO RB
33 Conner Jones SO OLB
34 Anthony Espada — ­—
35 Devontate McCall JR DE
40 Joshua Mejias — ­—
42 Jaden Humphrey — ­—
43 Jonas Ziegler — ­—
44 Richard Hawes — ­—
45 Cornelius Stephens — ­—
50 Izziah Donely JR C
51 Joshua Gilbert SR OLB
52 Romello Burke SR T
54 Jamal Watson JR G
55 Kelvin Pinkney SO DE
60 Lawerence Mendez SR G
65 Alex Holmes JR T
71 Ladrius Richardson JR T
90 Mike Cannon SO DE

COACH’S CORNER
Recharde Goodwyn, first year
What are your initial thoughts on this year’s team?
They are hardworking. They have really bought into the work ethic. I had to make them take days off. At the end of the summer before camp, I wanted them to take time off and they weren’t having it. As a collective group of young kids, they work hard, and they want to work.

What are your expectations for this season?
Our expectations are very high. We’ve got tremendous potential; and this group has a work ethic unlike any other I’ve coached before. When you combine potential and good work ethic, you should have a really great season. I’m looking forward to it.

What is your biggest strength?
The line of scrimmage. Our most talented players play with their hands on the ground.

What’s the one area that still needs improvement?
We only have seven seniors. We have a lot of young guys, and, for them, the spring game did wonders. It was their first opportunity to play varsity football, and they saw the speed of the game. It’s a lot different than freshman ball.

BY THE NUMBERS
3 - The number of games in which the Tornadoes scored at least 35 points last season.

51 - The yardage of quarterback Jeremiah Henderson’s touchdown pass in the final minute to lead Booker to a 33-27 come-from-behind victory over Island Coast in the regional quarterfinals.

7 - The number of seniors on this year’s roster.

2 - The number of playoff games the Tornadoes played in last season.

2007 - The last year the Tornadoes won a district championship.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
10 - Jeremiah Henderson, senior, quarterback

1 - Artie Henry, senior, wide receiver

2014 Schedule
Class 5A-13
Aug. 29 at Sarasota
Sept. 5 vs. Riverview
Sept. 12 at Berkeley Prep
Sept. 19 at DeSoto County* (7 p.m.)
Sept. 26 vs. Braden River
Oct. 2 vs. Hardee*
Oct. 10 at Ida Baker
Oct. 17 at Gulliver Prep (4 p.m.)
Oct. 24 at Bayshore*
Oct. 31 vs. Southeast*
Nov. 7 at Cardinal Mooney (7 p.m.)

*Denotes district game
**All games start at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected]