What should Yulee (Fla.) running back/athlete Derrick Henry do? The nation's No. 3 athlete and No. 74 prospect overall will decide between Alabama and Tennessee on Thursday and there are certainly two trains of thought, at least for me. Despite rushing for a state-record 502 yards this past weekend and pushing past Emmitt Smith as the No. 2 rusher in state history (Florida commitment Kelvin Taylor is No. 1), Henry is listed as an athlete for a reason.
We have some concerns about his ability at the next level as a tailback because of his 6-foot-3, 243-pound frame and upright style. However, there is clearly talent there and the clearest path to being a feature back is in Knoxville with T.J. Yeldon and Dee Hart already in Tuscaloosa and Altee Tenpenny and Tyren Jones already in this class. But if he chooses the Vols, can he be sure that Derek Dooley and his staff will still be there? Dooley is 0-11 in Tennessee against ranked teams and 0-18 in his career. With Georgia, Mississippi State, Alabama and South Carolina as the next four games on the schedule, this could be the stretch that ends his tenure.
It seems clear to most that Henry is leaning toward Alabama and, while he has a much better chance to make an impact with the Vols, it's hard to blame him based on the current coaching situation. I think it's safe to say Nick Saban will be around for awhile.