Who Is This FL HS Legend? Travis Henry/Frostproof

[OldSchoolLion]

This player put on an offensive show and broke a 40+ year old national record in a state title game.

Who is he?

For whom did he play?

Against what team did he play in that state final?

What record did he break?

[OldSchoolLion]

He was not a qb.

[OldSchoolLion]

Central FL legend

[skyway]

Kind of vague on the hints. Travis Henry of Frostproof comes to mind. But, could be many others I suppose.

[OldSchoolLion]

6 hours ago, skyway said:

Kind of vague on the hints. Travis Henry of Frostproof comes to mind. But, could be many others I suppose.

It is Travis Henry.  Let's see if we can answer the rest of the questions now.  Please understand that the folks on this Board represent the Mensa of FL hs football.  If I made the questions too easy, they would be insulted and run me off of here.

 

[muckboy561]

Lake Bulter Union County

National single-season rushing record

[skyway]

5 hours ago, OldSchoolLion said:

It is Travis Henry.  Let's see if we can answer the rest of the questions now.  Please understand that the folks on this Board represent the Mensa of FL hs football.  If I made the questions too easy, they would be insulted and run me off of here.

 

haha ok. My friend muckboy has beaten me to the punch on the last part. I think it was 60-something to 30-something in the final score. That was a dynasty there for UC. I was a student at UF then, rooting for them to finally lose. haha

[OldSchoolLion]

8 hours ago, skyway said:

haha ok. My friend muckboy has beaten me to the punch on the last part. I think it was 60-something to 30-something in the final score. That was a dynasty there for UC. I was a student at UF then, rooting for them to finally lose. haha

You gotta watch that muckboy...he sneaky

1996 3A final Union County 67 Frostproof 30 in Daytona Beach

[OldSchoolLion]

11 hours ago, muckboy561 said:

Lake Bulter Union County

National single-season rushing record

In 1996, playing for Frostproof High, Travis Henry rushed for 4087 yards and 34 TD's , averaging 11.3 yards per carry.  In the 3A state title game in Daytona Beach, Henry rushed for a state title game record 328 yards.  That effort enabled him to break a 43 year-old national record for the most rushing yards in a season.  Unfortunately, it was not enough, and Frostproof lost the title game to two-time defending state champion Union County.   

That season, he shattered the state single-season rushing record of 2,969 yards set by University Christian's Willie McClendon in 1987.  He rushed for 14 straight 200-yard games and finished with 19 in all.  Henry finished his hs career with 7,221 rushing yards and 79 touchdowns.  

[skyway]

I've spent the last several years watching all of the full length versions of old college football games I can find on youtube, one season at a time (I started with the mid 1960s since that is when CF started to be televised regularly). I'm finishing up 1987 as we speak. That was the year Emmit Smith burst on the scene at UF. Your last comment involving Willie McClendon reminds me of those late 80s, when many thought McClendon might overtake Emmitt. Silly stuff! 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, skyway said:

I've spent the last several years watching all of the full length versions of old college football games I can find on youtube, one season at a time (I started with the mid 1960s since that is when CF started to be televised regularly). I'm finishing up 1987 as we speak. That was the year Emmit Smith burst on the scene at UF. Your last comment involving Willie McClendon reminds me of those late 80s, when many thought McClendon might overtake Emmitt. Silly stuff! 

I love it..thats awesome

[skyway]

17 minutes ago, Just A Coach said:

I love it..thats awesome

It's been brutal at times. The quality and complexity/creativity involved in the game in the 60s and 70s and somewhat in the 80s was quite poor. But, I enjoy getting a deeper perspective and understanding of what the game was like back then than you can get just from reading old newspaper articles or watching 30 for 30 type of shows. And of course there are some aspects of the sport that were better then. Much more passion and commitment to the team; no instant replay fouling up authentic reactions to the outcome of plays for example.

[Guest]

Way more athleticism involved in todays game. Most notable is the LB position. The days of the big burly run stopping Middle LB are long gone. Those dudes gotta run and be able to cover in space now. It feels like the safety position players of the 80's are now playing LB in todays ball.

[OldSchoolLion]

5 hours ago, skyway said:

It's been brutal at times. The quality and complexity/creativity involved in the game in the 60s and 70s and somewhat in the 80s was quite poor. But, I enjoy getting a deeper perspective and understanding of what the game was like back then than you can get just from reading old newspaper articles or watching 30 for 30 type of shows. And of course there are some aspects of the sport that were better then. Much more passion and commitment to the team; no instant replay fouling up authentic reactions to the outcome of plays for example.

 

5 hours ago, Just A Coach said:

Way more athleticism involved in todays game. Most notable is the LB position. The days of the big burly run stopping Middle LB are long gone. Those dudes gotta run and be able to cover in space now. It feels like the safety position players of the 80's are now playing LB in todays ball.

You might find this interesting.  There was some serious speed even back in the 70's.

 

 

[Perspective]

12 hours ago, OldSchoolLion said:

In 1996, playing for Frostproof High, Travis Henry rushed for 4087 yards and 34 TD's , averaging 11.3 yards per carry.  In the 3A state title game in Daytona Beach, Henry rushed for a state title game record 328 yards.  That effort enabled him to break a 43 year-old national record for the most rushing yards in a season.  Unfortunately, it was not enough, and Frostproof lost the title game to two-time defending state champion Union County.   

That season, he shattered the state single-season rushing record of 2,969 yards set by University Christian's Willie McClendon in 1987.  He rushed for 14 straight 200-yard games and finished with 19 in all.  Henry finished his hs career with 7,221 rushing yards and 79 touchdowns.  

Probably the second best RB from the state of Florida with the last name Henry to ever play.  

[skyway]

4 hours ago, OldSchoolLion said:

 

You might find this interesting.  There was some serious speed even back in the 70's.

 

 

Yup, went through all of those games! The 70s saw a large shift in size and athleticism over the course of the decade. Players at the end of the decade tended to be bigger and faster than their counterparts in the early 70s, to a greater degree than the typical decade. The major shift of the 80s was more towards the passing game. It's surprised me to see the 1987 Auburn team was known as a mediocre running team, but a pretty good passing team. Between their defense and great RBs, my memory fooled me into thinking they were something else. (Though they weren't that great offensively anyway.)

[skyway]

1 hour ago, Perspective said:

Probably the second best RB from the state of Florida with the last name Henry to ever play.  

Good point. And I checked and Derrick's best season was 4,261 yds and 55 TDs!

[nolebull813]

I dont know how real this is but according to the NFHS, a kid from New Jersey STILL has the all time rushing record for most yards in a season back in 1950 with 4,756 yards. And that was only in 8 games!!!!!

He also holds the record with most yards in a game with 754!!! 

https://www.nfhs.org/RecordBook/Record-book-result.aspx?CategoryId=370

[nolebull813]

This is from wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Giannantonio

 

 

maxpreps

https://www.maxpreps.com/news/9QOaU3pGWUCEr4OYA6vRhg/john-giannantonio-still-holds-the-national-record-for-rushing-yards-in-a-game-and-in-a-season.htm

 

 

nj.com

https://www.nj.com/njv_mark_diionno/2010/11/netcong_76-year-old_remains_li.html