In the Colorado Buffaloes’ win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, running back Damian Henderson II’s team-high in rushing yards was key to the team’s success. However, it took an impressive reaction to one of the game’s key moments to fuel him to that performance.

Henderson appeared to fumble the ball in the first quarter of the game, but officials ruled that his forward progress had stopped before the ball was stripped loose. Still, Henderson took the blunder personally, using it as motivation for the remainder of the game.

Damian Henderson II’s reaction to the fumble

Henderson was emotional on the sideline while he awaited the ruling from officials, according to running backs coach Johnnie Mack.

“We talk about it first. Kind of want to see what happened. You know, me playing that position, I understand it,” Mack said. “Things happen sometimes, and the thing about Dame, he took that seriously. Like he was in tears on the sideline, so I knew that meant something to him. So he didn't take it lightly. It meant something to him.”

Henderson is in his senior season with a great deal of his future riding on the performance he has during this campaign. Starting off a season with a fumble is rough to say the least for a running back, so there’s no telling how much was going on in his mind. But it was the way he responded to that adversity that gave his coaching staff enough confidence to keep rolling with him. 

Coach Johnnie Mack’s reaction to the fumble

Mack emphasizes ball security, as is the case with every running backs coach you’ll encounter. He was frustrated with the fumble, even if the ruling bailed Henderson out. Yet, as a former player himself, Mack was able to understand Henderson’s situation and what he must’ve been feeling.

“Don't even remind me of that, because I'm still mad about the ball being on the ground. We just got to do a better job,” said Mack in his Wednesday press conference. “It was unfortunate for him. He had two hands on the ball. A guy just came out of nowhere and underneath it and stripped the ball, man. So he just has to do a better job of protecting the ball there. No excuses, no excuses for humidity or anything. The ball is the ball. Protect it. That happens.”

Johnnie Mack’s confidence in Damian Henderson II

Mack could see how much that mistake meant to Henderson, even if the ruling went in Colorado’s favor. Based on that, he felt confident enough to stick with him as the lead back.

“He felt like he hurt the team, and those types of guys, man, you put them back in there. Put them back in there because we always say play next play. So if I want to use that moment of trust, put that guy back in there, man, and let them get past that,” Mack said.

With a game against the Weber State Wildcats on the horizon, Henderson has the chance to build on the strong finish he had to the Georgia Tech game. The mentality he displayed in the face of adversity bodes well for his upcoming performances in Week 2 and the season as a whole. 

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