Last Chance U: What’s next for ICC quarterback Malik Henry?
The Netflix docuseries Last Chance U was released last week featuring some big-name prospects such as Malik Henry. After JUCO season, what does the quarterback’s future hold?
The Netflix original hit documentary “Last Chance U” is back for its third installment but this time, the cameras traveled to Kansas to follow Independence Community College — in the previous two season, the series followed East Mississippi Community College.
The eight-episode docuseries provided viewers with an all-access and completely uncensored look at what goes on with the football players both on and off the field.
With the help of former top-level recruits, ICC was vying for a Jayhawk Conference title for the first time in more than 30 years.
Much like the past two seasons of the show, the ICC Pirates had many players on their roster hoping to get a second chance to play for a championship-caliber Division I team.
One of those players was Malik Henry, the No. 1 quarterback from the Class of 2016 and former five-star recruit. He is an ex-Florida State Seminole and was suspended from the program for violating team rules. Henry later departed from Tallahassee and landed at ICC.
The coaches at ICC believed Henry was a great talent but what they needed to work on with him was controlling his “competitive edge.” The coaches described him as a “sevant” with heavy football knowledge and a high football IQ.
At times in the series, Henry didn’t see eye-to-eye with the coaching staff including hard-nosed head coach Jason Brown. Henry was seen calling his own audibles at the line of scrimmage against the coaches’ wishes. He also attempted to make the play calls on his own.
In the first few episodes of the show, Henry showed a blase attitude towards the team and his situation being in rural Kansas. As a result, he didn’t start one of the games the team had and was benched in another game.
Henry suffered an ankle injury in the second to last game of the regular season, so he didn’t play in ICC’s rivalry game. In this instance, he displayed his growth in putting the team first by coaching/mentoring backup quarterback Drake Smith.
Beyond anything else, Henry showed that he is a fiery competitor. He’s top-level talent and better yet, cares a whole lot about winning football games.
In the last episode of the season, Henry was reported to have still been awaiting an offer from a Power 5 school. His 247 recruiting profile showed much of the same but it indicated that he received an offer from Ole Miss on October 16.
While Henry awaits more offers from major schools, he will still be a highly sought-after recruit because of his raw talents at quarterback. As reflected in his original recruitment in addition to what was seen on screen, Henry, without question, has a powerful arm and can be a playmaker with the balls in his hands.
In 2017 playing for ICC, Henry threw for 1,383 yards and 10 touchdown passes in 10 games played. He also averaged 138.3 passing yards per game and completed 54 percent of his passes.
Henry still has three years of NCAA eligibility left and can still make a significant impact on any team he joins. His most likely destination may be with an SEC team. Although, in the series, it was noted that Henry gauged interest from Oklahoma State. Brown was on camera during a phone call with the undisclosed name of a Cowboys’ coach inquiring about the quarterback.
Two of Henry’s junior college teammates — defensive lineman Emmit Gooden and running back Rakeem Boyd — signed with SEC schools. Gooden will play for Tennessee this upcoming season while Boyd will suit up for Arkansas. In previous seasons, several players in the show that attended East Mississippi also transferred to SEC schools.
Near the end of the season, Henry was on record talking with his father and a trainer about a diet and exercise plan. The group mentions a goal for Henry was to put on roughly 30 pounds. So perhaps, he is going to focus on building up his strength before returning to the gridiron.
Next: Last Chance U: Most likable players through 2 seasons
As far as this season, Henry isn’t on an official roster, but he can certainly add firepower to a team in the future. With the advent of college football players opting to transfer more frequently than ever before, Henry can find an opportunity to rescue a school that is in need of reinforcement.