The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/790572
66 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY JACEY ZEMBAL N ewly hired NC State safeties coach Aaron Henry has known his boss since his junior year of high school. That's when NCSU head coach Dave Doeren started recruiting Henry at Im- mokalee (Fla.) High, which is about 45 minutes east of Fort Myers in the western part of the state. Doeren had just arrived at Wisconsin as the co-defensive coordinator, linebackers coach and recruiting coordina- tor in 2006. Henry was a Rivals.com three- star prospect and the No. 22-ranked cor- nerback in the country in the class of 2007. Henry eventually picked Wisconsin over Iowa and South Carolina, and stuck with his pledge after a late charge by Florida. The move ended up being terrific, espe- cially given what has happened in his post- playing career. Henry was part of three consecutive Big Ten title-winning teams, earned second- team all-league laurels his junior season and first-team honors his senior year. He finished his Badgers career with 181 career tackles, seven interceptions and 23 passes defended in 52 games (2007-11). Henry was so well liked that his head coach at Wisconsin, Bret Bielema, immedi- ately hired Henry when Bielema accepted the job at Arkansas. Henry was a defensive graduate assistant from 2014-15. His popu- larity translated to getting hired by Rutgers head coach Chris Ash, who was hired last offseason. Ash was the defensive backs coach and eventually defensive coordinator at Wisconsin from 2010-12. Henry was the cornerbacks coach for the Scarlet Knights, and during December and January fate would knock on his door a third time. When NC State safeties coach Clayton White was hired as the defensive coordina- tor at Western Kentucky, Doeren knew who to call to replace him: Henry. "He tried to hire me as the team chaplain here three years ago," said Henry, who has worn red and white at every school he has attended or coached for since the ninth grade. "He and I are really, really close. When it came, I was excited about it. Be- ing able to work for him, that makes it that much sweeter." Henry's time with Doeren, Ash and Bielema — and even NC State defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable, who was the linebackers coach for the Badgers in 2011 — should make for a smooth transition. Henry also played with former NCSU quarterback Russell Wilson at Wisconsin his senior year. "I'm beyond thankful for both those men," Henry said of Ash and Bielema. "That should show the effect that college coaches have on young men. Those guys have singlehandedly changed my life." Henry will recruit the western part of Florida, Palm Beach County in South Flor- ida and about 28 high schools in the west- ern part of North Carolina. Bielema and Doeren were a key reason why he picked Wisconsin, and he knows that he'll be sell- ing Doeren to recruits. He already made an immediate impact in landing sophomore athlete Seneca Milledge of Fort Myers (Fla.) Dunbar. "I think transparency is the biggest thing," Henry said. "I have been through a COMING FULL CIRCLE New NC State Safeties Coach Aaron Henry Has Been Reunited With Dave Doeren "He and I are really, really close. When it came, I was excited about it. Being able to work for him, that makes it that much sweeter." ■ Henry on his relationship with Doeren Henry was a defensive back at Wisconsin from 2007-11 and was recruited by and played under Doeren, who was the defensive coordinator for the Badgers through 2010. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS