Tag: LaDarius Henderson

Key Michigan football starter declares for NFL draft

He’s gonna ball out at the next level. #GoBlue

A little more than a year ago, Michigan football received an underrated — but key — transfer joining the program.

Not many people knew of LaDarius Henderson outside of the southwest, but the Arizona State guard who hailed from Texas saw an opportunity with the Wolverines offensive line. He committed to play in Ann Arbor in December 2022 and was slotted to play one of the offensive tackle positions.

But Henderson had unanticipated competition. Myles Hinton also transferred into the program after starting his career at Stanford, and he initially won the right tackle job while Kareem Barnhart took the left. Henderson played sparingly, but he bided his time and after some retooling, ended up as the starting left tackle.

Now he’s a national champion, and he has decided to try his hand in the pro ranks, announcing for the NFL draft.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2AgiqROB4k/?igsh=MWxpMXNyOWllNzM2aQ==

Henderson did not have any eligibility remaining. With his departure, the maize and blue will likely look at one of many internal options to fill his role in 2024.

J.J. McCarthy has awesome, jaw-dropping custom Rose Bowl cleats

These are 🔥!!! #GoBlue 🌹

J.J. McCarthy knows what time it is.

With Michigan football heading to Los Angeles this week to prepare for the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Rose Bowl, the Wolverines quarterback is making sure he’ll be playing in style against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Unlike the last time that Michigan played in Pasadena in 2007, we’ve seen a big uptick in players expressing themselves through accessories. In the era of name, image and likeness, you’d expect nothing less. With the customized Jordan brand cleats McCarthy intends to wear for the Jan. 1 game, he’ll be taking it to the next level.

The designer of the custom cleats has been quite prolific in football spaces, and you can be assured others in the Michigan football family will have custom cleats as well. Jada Kitna Henderson, who has turned this into a full-time job, is not only the daughter of former Detroit Lions starting quarterback Jon Kitna but is also the wife of Wolverines starting left tackle LaDarius Hendeson. She’s made a name for herself designing custom cleats not just in the college ranks, but in the NFL, too.

While coaching quarterbacks for the Dallas Cowboys in 2019, Jon Kitna mentioned to Dak Prescott that his daughter was a talented artist and designer who had been customizing shoes.

The Cowboys’ franchise quarterback was interested.

So, when he was thinking about getting some Air Jordan 1 shoes customized for his friends as a Christmas gift, Prescott reached out to Kitna.

“We sent them to her and she blew it away,” Prescott said.

Fast forward to the summer of 2021, Prescott signed a deal with Jordan Brand. That meant wearing various Air Jordan cleats during the upcoming Cowboys’ season.

“Because it was coming off COVID, we really couldn’t get the supply and the colorways in on time,” Prescott said. “So, I had just a bunch of plain whites and plain blacks. I’d send them to her, we’d come up with designs and colors and she nailed it.”

And that’s when customizing shoes and cleats began going from a hobby to a full-time job for Jada Kitna Henderson. After completing multiple pairs for Prescott, she posted photos on social media. And there were doubters.

J.J. McCarthy and the Michigan Wolverines will face Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2024, at 5 p.m. EST. The game is scheduled to be carried on the ESPN family of networks with multiple viewing options.

Injury updates for J.J. McCarthy, Roman Wilson, others before Michigan football vs. Ohio State

Sounds like good news? #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football has managed to make it through the first 10 games without having any significant injuries. In the 11th, however, the Wolverines emerged somewhat banged up at key positions.

Mike Barrett left the Maryland game with a shoulder injury, but he returned shortly after going to the locker room. Myles Hinton left with a knee injury, but it was determined after he went to the locker room that he didn’t suffer any structural damage. Roman Wilson was in street clothes after sustaining a brutal hit after his one and only catch, as he entered concussion protocol. LaDarius Henderson was out and didn’t travel to College Park.

The good news is that acting head coach for Saturday, Sherrone Moore, says that the latter three should be fine for the Ohio State game, though it will be pending being cleared by doctors.

“Should be good to go,” Moore said. “We’ll see further and we’ll check with the doctors as we go as far as all three.”

The above are certainly among the concerns, but quarterback J.J. McCarthy has been playing through a leg injury he sustained during the Penn State game. McCarthy looked unlike himself against the Terps, leading many to fear what that might mean for The Game on Saturday.

However, on Monday, McCarthy ensures that he’s feeling healthy and good to go for this upcoming rivalry tilt.

“Doing really good,” McCarthy said. “Yeah, last week was a little bit rough. But I’m doing fantastic right now, treatment’s been great. And yeah, we’ll be ready to go.”

Michigan will need all hands on deck in facing the Buckeyes. The Game will kick off at noon EST and will be broadcast nationally on Fox.

Injury update after Michigan football lost multiple players at Maryland

No injuries all year, really, and then suddenly a bunch in one game. Unreal. #GoBlue

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — For the first time all year, Michigan football found itself having injury timeouts with players heading to the locker room banged up. With Ohio State coming up in a week, it’s not exactly the greatest timing.

Starting left tackle LaDarius Henderson didn’t make the trip to College Park to face Maryland, and his replacement, Myles Hinton (who started at right tackle, thus shifting Karsen Barnhart to left tackle) left the game with an apparent right knee injury.

Interim head coach Sherrone Moore said after the game he expects Henderson back next week and Hinton didn’t suffer any catastrophic damage to his knee on his injury.

“LD was working through something,” Moore said. “I think he’ll be back next week and Myles got a little knee — ended up (with) no structural damage, anything so nothing crazy.”

Perhaps just as key, especially considering how much the offense struggled against the Terps, was the injury to wide receiver Roman Wilson.

Wilson made the first catch of the game for the Wolverines, but the play was reviewed for targeting. Though the referees didn’t uphold the charge, Wilson immediately went to the injury tent and returned later to the sidelines in street clothes.

Moore isn’t sure the extent of the injury, whether it was precautionary or not, but he says Wilson appeared fine when he returned to the team’s sideline.

“Yeah, obviously was out. Not sure the exact knowledge what it is but the trainers ruled him out at that time, which was a responsible thing, I think, for us to do as a staff, medical staff. So they’re always on top of that stuff, especially when it comes to anything that could be the head. So he was fine. Talking and everything, everything was good. He was on the sideline afterward.”

While Moore didn’t update Mike Barrett’s injury, the sixth-year linebacker returned to the game after heading to the locker room. Barrett, who appeared in his postgame interview with an ice pack taped to his left shoulder, said it isn’t much to worry about as far as his future prognosis is concerned.

“Just a little AC sprain on my shoulder,” Barrett said. “I kind of got hit on one of the plays as I was making a tackle — somebody came in and kind of hit my shoulder.

“Just kind of came in and got it looked at. Got it padded up and went back out there. Nothing a little Tylenol won’t fix.”

Michigan and Ohio State will kick off next week at The Big House at noon EST with the game televised nationally on Fox.

Five Takeaways: Michigan football wins Big Ten opener vs. Rutgers

Good, dominant game from #Michigan! #GoBlue

Michigan opened conference play with a 31-7 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers opened the game with a long touchdown pass, but that was about all its offense could muster. The UM defense locked them down for the remainder of the game and even managed to get a score of their own on a massive pick-six courtesy of Mike Sainristil.

Jim Harbaugh made his return to the sideline, and while there were some hiccups, it was clear Michigan’s head coach was missed. Expect things to trend up from here as the Wolverines get into the heavy part of their schedule.

As the Wolverines advance to 4-0 on the season, here are some takeaways from the game:

LaDarius Henderson relishing new opportunity with Michigan football

Excited to see more of him as the season wears on! #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It’s been a lot of change for Michigan offensive tackle LaDarius Henderson.

The first incoming transfer of the offseason came in so early it wasn’t even really the offseason yet. Announcing his commitment to the Wolverines on Dec. 6, 2022 after spending his career at Arizona State, Henderson had hoped to come in and play left tackle with incumbent Ryan Hayes set to depart for the NFL. However, he’s only made it into the first two games during garbage time before finally getting his chance once the Wolverines reshuffled the line midgame.

So, while he didn’t get the opportunity to start right away as he perhaps figured earlier on, the Texas native stayed ready, knowing he would eventually be called upon.

“That’s my life,” Henderson said. “I started playing football in 11th grade and I got the opportunity to start as a true freshman (in college). And I didn’t start the year off starting. But just staying prepared and trying to be a pro and just getting better every day. I feel like great things happen where you just try to get better every day. So that’s been my focus is getting better every day. And it’s been a lot of fun. And I feel like I’m getting better.”

Henderson knew that a role wasn’t going to be given to him. Having played guard for the Sun Devils, he came to Ann Arbor having a pretty good idea that Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter would likely run it back for one more season — and he ended up being correct. Still, he made the decision to come, knowing that competition would be fierce.

However, that’s the price you pay when you join a unit that won the award for the best in the country, the Joe Moore Award, two-years running. He feels that the opportunity to compete makes him better.

“I feel like God led me here, to be completely honest,” Henderson said. “But I knew if I was gonna go back to college I wanted to go play with the best offensive line — so what guys are better than these guys? So that’s what I wanted to do and I was like, hey, if my mindset was if I’m not good enough to play with these guys then you got to dig deeper, look within yourself, ‘I got some getting better to do,’ which is never a bad thing to realize. You got to get better.”

Regardless of how the competition shakes out, Henderson is glad to have ended up in Ann Arbor. Compared to his previous stop, there’s been one big surprise he didn’t quite count on.

“How much people actually care about football and Michigan!” Henderson said. “People care about Michigan football! At other places, you guys know where I’ve been, I can go around Tempe people don’t really care that much. It’s true. Like, ‘You play for who?’ So it’s like here people know who you are, people want to see the blue win and I love that. These fans are awesome!”

Fans will get another opportunity to see Henderson in action on Saturday when Michigan football opens up Big Ten play against Rutgers. The game will kick off at noon EDT and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.

ESPN ranks three Michigan football players among best college football newcomers

Should be more, TBH. #GoBlue

Michigan football may not have a wealth of instant impact players in the 2023 recruiting class who will burst onto the scene as true freshmen this year. But the Wolverines certainly made up for it with a targeted transfer class.

ESPN ranked the top 50 newcomers across college football in 2023 ($), and three incoming Michigan players made the cut — all three were transfers.

One such player broke into the top 10, presumed starting left tackle in LaDarius Henderson.

9. OL LaDarius Henderson

Transferred from Arizona State to Michigan

Henderson started all 13 games last season for Arizona State at left guard, but will likely compete at right tackle at Michigan. The Wolverines have won the Joe Moore Award for the best offensive line the past two seasons but are looking to fill a few open starting spots upfront for 2023. Henderson has a realistic shot at starting on the right side and brings a wealth of experience. At 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, Henderson could be one of a few transfer linemen to make an impact for the Wolverines.

Henderson, who was unable to participate in spring ball, certainly will have challenges. There are established tackles on the roster he’ll have to supplant in order to win the starting job.

The next was, at one point, 247Sports’ top player in the transfer portal, and while he also has a fall camp battle, he’ll see the field early and often.

17. LB Ernest Hausmann 

Transferred from Nebraska to Michigan

Hausmann was a three-star prospect in the 2022 class. He made an immediate impact on the team, playing in every game last season with seven starts. Hausmann finished with 54 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss and a sack in his breakout campaign. The Wolverines have a set starter in Junior Colson, but Hausmann will likely compete for the other starting job with Michael Barrett. If Hausmann builds on the freshman season he had at Nebraska, he should see significant playing time.

The last player isn’t getting as much publicity as some others, though he’s a bit underrated to begin with.

Though his 2022 wasn’t nearly as impressive as his 2021, Josaiah Stewart is another player who figures to be key in the rotation.

24. Edge Josaiah Stewart

Transferred from Coastal Carolina to Michigan

At 6-foot-1, 245 pounds, Stewart is a little undersized, but he has a ton of speed off the edge. He had 36 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 5 quarterback hurries last season at Coastal Carolina. The Wolverines lost Mike Morris, who led the team in tackles for loss last season, to the NFL. The defense returns Jaylen Harrell, who was second on the team in tackles for loss, and a few others. But Stewart’s ability to get to the quarterback makes him an asset and his versatility will get him onto the field this season.

There are some notable absences. The first would be center Drake Nugent, who is on the Rimington Trophy watch list and graded higher by PFF than last year’s winner, Olusegun Oluwatimi. Also, cornerback Josh Wallace is the leading candidate for a starting role opposite Will Johnson, and tight end AJ Barner figures perfectly into the scheme Michigan runs offensively.

Either way, the Wolverines were smart about who they targeted in the portal and it should make up for having a lot of developmental prospects in the freshman class.

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Athlon Sports names several Michigan football players in its Big Ten All-Transfer Portal Team for 2023

#Michigan may have the best transfer portal class in the Big Ten. #GoBlue

It’s well known the talent Michigan football brought in for the 2023 season via the transfer portal. The Wolverines brought in plenty of depth at positions of need and a few of the transfers are about a virtual lock to start for the maize and blue.

Athlon Sports created its Big Ten All-Transfer Portal Team for the 2023 season. There were several new Michigan players on the team.

Offensive Line:

La’Darius Henderson

Drake Nugent

Myles Hinton

The arrival of Hinton, Nugent, and Henderson is a big reason why Michigan’s offensive line should remain among the best in college football.

Michigan brought La’Darius Henderson in from Arizona State and he is widely expected to lock down the left tackle job this fall. He started 29 games during his four-year stint with Arizona State and was a team captain last season.

The Wolverines brought over center Drake Nugent and tackle Myles Hinton from Stanford. Nugent should start for Michigan at center with Olu Oluwatimi off to the NFL. He started 24 games for Stanford at center and was a two-time All-Pac 12 honorable mention.

Myles Hinton started 16 games at right tackle for Stanford. Hinton has plenty of talent, but it’s hard seeing him pass Karsen Barnhart or Trente Jones at right tackle. Hinton has the ability to transition to guard to be added depth.

Defensive Line:

Josaiah Stewart

Stewart was brought to Ann Arbor from Coastal Carolina where he starred for two seasons. He had 12.5 sacks his freshman season which is a single-season record at Coastal Carolina. He is a two-time All-Sun Belt award winner during his two years there.

Linebacker:

Ernestt Hausmann

Hausmann flashed potential as a freshman at Nebraska last year by collecting 54 stops over 12 games. He may not start with Michael Barrett and Junior Colson returning, but look for the sophomore to see plenty of snaps for the Wolverines in ’23.

Hausmann started seven games for Nebraska last season as a true freshman. He was one of the better tacklers on the team and had his first sack against Michigan on his way to a 10-tackle day against the Wolverines. Hausmann should be an instant-impact player Day 1 for Michigan.

Kicker:

James Turner

Turner came to Michigan from Louisville and he will battle freshman Adam Samaha for the kicking job. He was a two-time All-ACC honorable mention with the Cardinals. Last season, he was 20-for-22 on field goals last season. But it will not be easy to replace All-American Jake Moody.

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Three Michigan football players make 247Sports All-Transfer Portal team

One of the best-quality transfer classes in the country! #GoBlue

Michigan brought in a talented eight-player transfer portal class for 2023. The Wolverines did a great job of finding the right pieces to fit with the already really solid team.

247Sports came out with their All-Transfer Portal Team for the upcoming season, and Michigan had three players land on the coveted list.

The Wolverines brought in three offensive linemen, and one of them landed on the list. Guard LaDarius Henderson from Arizona State was the first Wolverine to make the team.

G LaDarius Henderson (No. 18 ranked player and 93 rating)

 It’s a safe assumption that Michigan’s second highest-rated transfer signee is going to hold down the left tackle spot this season despite not enrolling during the winter semester in time for spring. This offensive line room in Ann Arbor prides itself on being nasty in the trenches and won the Joe Moore Award last season after paving the way for Michigan’s powerful rushing attack and second straight Big Ten title. Henderson fits the mold.

During his four-year stint with Arizona State, Henderson started 29 games (19 at LG and 10 at LT). Henderson is projected to take over Ryan Hayes’ LT spot for the maize and blue. During his final two seasons with ASU, Henderson was charged with allowing just two sacks on the QB.

The next Wolverine to appear on the All-Transfer Portal Team is linebacker Ernest Hausmann from Nebraska. He is arguably the biggest get for Michigan and he is only a sophomore.

LB Ernest Hausmann (No. 4 ranked player and 96 rating)

A top-five transfer, Hausmann does find himself at a position of notable depth with the Wolverines. Jim Harbaugh will be able to tinker with this room a good bit this fall for a preseason playoff threat and Hausmann’s by-snap production could flourish as a result. He’s only a sophomore, so look out for him as a national name in the next couple seasons.

Last season with the Huskers, Hausmann played in all 12 games and started seven of them as a true freshman. He had 10 tackles against Michigan in the Big House last year, which paved the way to a 54-tackle season as a freshman.

The last player to land on the list is former Louisville kicker, James Turner. With Michigan losing Jake Moody to the NFL, the Wolverines were bound to start freshman Adam Samaha, but he now has competition.

K James Turner (83 rating)

You know Harbaugh likes his kickers and with two-time All-American and 2021 Lou Groza Winner Jake Moody off the the NFL — where he was a third-round pick by the 49ers! — in comes Turner from Louisville, who made 80% of his kicks in three years with the Cardinals and was 20 for 22 as a junior.

Turner played four seasons with the Cardinals and was a two-time All-ACC honorable mention. He made 47-of-59 field goal attempts in the three years as a starter for Louisville.

You can see the entire All-Transfer Portal team HERE

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Signed: Michigan football signs transfer Ladarius Henderson

Big boy from Arizona State will be major help for Michigan! #GoBlue

Transfer Portal Ratings

Stars Overall Position
247Sports 4 #12 #2 IOL
On3 4 #59 #3 IOL

Vitals

Hometown Waxahachie, Texas
Projected Position Guard
Height 6-foot-5
Weight 310-pounds
High School Class 2019
Team Transferring From Arizona State
HS 247Sports Composite Ranking 3-star (#741 prospect)
HS On3 Consensus Ranking 3-star (#749 prospect)

 

Years Of Eligibility

  • Three years

Projection at Michigan

  • Henderson has a chance to step in and start next season if Zak Zinter decides to leave for the NFL draft. Either way, Henderson will add valued depth to the Wolverines’ offensive line.

Notes

  • 19 starts at LG between 2021 and 2022

 

Highlights

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