Back on Top! by Mark Mayfield

Author:Mark Mayfield
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2016-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Back to Work

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

College Football Playoff Semifinal

Alabama 38, Michigan State 0

December 31, 2015

AT&T Stadium/Arlington, Texas

IT HAD BEEN A WHIRLWIND awards week, capped by the trip to New York City, with its accompanying national media blitz and the never-ending interviews and photo ops that go with winning a Heisman Trophy. Derrick Henry had handled it well, with genuine humility and a quiet dignity that he seemed to carry as easily as a football.

Nevertheless, by the time he and his teammates returned to practice in Tuscaloosa on December 16, Henry was ready to move on. Michigan State and a playoff semifinal awaited. When a reporter asked him after practice if the New York trip had been fun, Henry’s frustration was evident.

“It was fun. I really don’t want to talk about the Heisman stuff,” he said. “I want to focus on what we need to do to get ready for Michigan State. So if y’all can talk about that, I’d be happy. What happened is over with. I’m just trying to get back to what we need to do.”

Usually affable and patient during interviews, Henry’s mood didn’t get any better when he was asked if it was difficult to focus with the holidays coming up.

“No, it’s not difficult,” he said with a quizzical look. “Why would it be difficult? We want to win a championship, so it’s not difficult.”

He lightened up immediately when the subject changed to his upfront blockers, who earlier that day won college football’s inaugural Joe Moore Award as the nation’s best offensive line. Already, Ryan Kelly had been awarded the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s best center.

“They worked hard all year, competed every day, and did a great job for me,” Henry said. “I credit all my success to them, man. I love those guys. I was just happy to see them get that award because they deserved it.”

Later that evening, Henry took the entire offensive line out to dinner to thank them for their role in his record-breaking season, and the team’s success.

At 12-1 and ranked No. 2, the SEC champions would face No. 3 Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Eve at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys. The winner would advance to the national championship game in Glendale, Arizona, 11 days later to face the winner of No. 1 Clemson versus No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.

Nearly 800 miles north of Tuscaloosa, Michigan State, 12-1 on the season and Big 10 champion, was just beginning its own preparations in East Lansing. Much of that work, it seemed, focused on stopping Derrick Henry.

Spartan linebackers Riley Bullough and Jon Reschke had both addressed tweets to Henry just after the Heisman ceremony: “Congrats, @KingHenry_21! Excited to play against a heisman winner! Hopefully you don’t think me and @J_Reschke33 are that weird but oh well,” Bullough tweeted. And Reschke used even fewer characters, but his meaning was clear: “can’t wait Derrick!”

The tweets were good-natured but also clearly underscored Michigan State’s confidence that they could match up with Alabama.

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