Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in around 240 pounds, Alabama running back Derrick Henry is built like a linebacker, but he’s quick enough and powerful enough to run through you with the momentum of a high-speeding semi truck down a highway.
The junior running back has been running through and around defenses this year to the tune of 1,797 yards and 22 touchdowns, both ranked first in the nation.
And as No. 18 Florida prepares for the matchup against Henry on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference Championship game, the Gators can’t help but marvel at the talent that is the junior running back.
"All I can say is wow," coach Jim McElwain said of Henry. "The speed and the power and really the way Derrick always goes forward. … He can make a difference in any ball game."
The Gators have already faced two top-tier running backs in college football this season in LSU’s Leonard Fournette and Florida State’s Dalvin Cook.
Both of them had success against Florida’s defense, rushing for at least 180 yards and two touchdowns as UF suffered its only losses in the regular season.
And with Henry added to the equation, the Gators might see three Heisman Trophy finalists, as UF cornerback Jalen Tabor pointed out.
Henry has become the front-runner for college football’s most prestigious award, and he’s broken former Alabama running back Trent Richardson’s single-season school rushing record of 1,679 yards.
He’s also carried the ball 295 times this season — second most in the nation — and his bruising running style isn’t for the faint of heart.
"It’s fun to watch him play. When you’re watching it’s fun," Tabor said of Henry. "Not when you’re playing against him."
Alabama coach Nick Saban has seen first-hand what Henry is capable of doing while running the football.
But it’s his growth as a player in other aspects of the game that have made Henry an elite weapon.
"Derrick (has) always been a really good ball carrier, but he’s improved as a blocker," Saban said. "He’s improved as a receiver, he’s improved in all areas where he doesn’t have the ball and has become a much more complete player."
And while Henry has received a lot of publicity leading up to Saturday’s game, he does have a connection to another running back playing in the game: Florida’s Kelvin Taylor.
It won’t be the first time the two will face each other as the feature backs on a field. When both were in high school — Taylor at Glades Day and Henry at Yulee — they played against each other in one of the most anticipated matchups in Florida high school history.
Henry’s high school got the better of Taylor’s, winning 42-6 with Henry rushing for 362 yards and six touchdowns compared to Taylor’s 223 yards and one touchdown.
"That was a fun game, really big game. Had a lot of hype around it," Henry said. "It was fun to play in on that stage in high school and looking forward to playing against him again in the SEC Championship."
But the game had a different impact on the two of them. It cemented a friendship between the two.
Taylor said he keeps in contact with Henry a couple of times a week, and that he will talk to him leading up to the game on Saturday.
Taylor said playing in the Georgia Dome will bring back memories of that night when the two of them ran wild at Yulee.
"I think it’s going to be a great experience just for the both of us … not really even against each other, just both of our teams going against each other," Taylor said.
"Just remembering all of the high school memories, both of us being the No. 1 and No. 2 running backs, so I feel like it’s going to be a cool experience."
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Alabama running back Derrick Henry (2) runs the ball during an NCAA college football game against Auburn, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, in Auburn, Ala. Alabama won 29-13.
