NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- It's been a difficult couple of years for Jason Henderson, but as Old Dominion kicks off preseason camp, the linebacker is where he loves to be: making plays between the lines on the field.
"Definitely excitement," Henderson said Wednesday. "It's been awhile that I've kind of been on hold playing football, but camp's here, I'm excited to be out here on the football field with my boys and I'm ready to go."
"We've been able to see him all summer," added Monarchs' head coach Ricky Rahne. "He's done some good things all summer in the workouts so to be able to see him out here and getting close to real football is good."
The journey to this point has been up and down. It all changed for Henderson November 25, 2023, when the linebacker suffered a serious knee injury in the regular season finale against Georgia State. He's been working his way back ever since then.
"Definitely tough, but I don't want to say it's disappointing," he noted. "It was definitely a big moment in my life. I've learned a lot through this whole entire process and that's just what I'm focusing on. I don't want to focus on the negatives, but focus on what I can take out of it."
Henderson did attempt a comeback in 2024. After rehabbing his knee, he took the field against South Carolina to kick off the campaign, but that was the only game in which he would play last year. This time around, the redshirt senior is trying to handle things differently.
"My preparation has been a lot different," Henderson pointed out. "My communication with my coaches and my training staff has been much better on my part I think and I think everything is kind of working out for me real well right now and I'm just excited to see where we go."
He's doing it in silver and blue. In the current world of college athletics and the transfer portal, a healthy Jason Henderson would seemingly be welcomed by any number of Power Four programs. He led the country in total tackles in 2022 with 186 and his 14.2 tackles per game led the nation in 2023. However, Norfolk and Old Dominion have become his football home and he says the situation is perfect for him.
"I've got everything I need here," he noted. "I've got great coaches, a great support staff, I have a great family that's encouraged me to do what's right for me and this is where I feel is best, so I'm happy where I am."
Now he has a chance to run off into the sunset. Henderson would not say that he is 100 percent healthy, but did offer that his knee is feeling great. He's moving forward focused on what's right in front of him, rather than the storybook ending that he could author this season.
"I'm just trying to take it how it is and play football," he said. "I'm not really worried about the future. I'm just taking it day-by-day, going 1-0 and enjoying myself through the process and having fun."
Henderson was named to the Bronko Nagurski Award Watch List earlier this week. The Nagurski Award is presented annually to the best defensive player in college football.
Old Dominion opens its season August 30 at Indiana.
