Henry a tireless numbers cruncher

Carrying the label of lone back can be added bonus

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 21, 2007 at midnight

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ENGLEWOOD - There are plenty of numbers to crunch in an NFL offense, all swirling around in a playbook waiting for their time to come.

But at the moment, only two concern Broncos running back Travis Henry.

One. And one.

"That's it," Henry said with a smile. "One and one. Hope it adds up to me."

One back. One ball. That's it. So, what exactly does it equal?

It depends, in a salary-cap league. Depends on who gets the question. And it certainly depends on the running back with the ball.

"Sure, you'd like one guy who gets 2,000 yards like T.D. (Terrell Davis)," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "That's a perfect scenario, but that doesn't always happen. Well, it almost never happens, but the perfect scenario is to have that one back to carry the load.

"That guy's got to be durable, have pretty good size, he's got to play hurt a little bit to survive the wear and tear that goes on during the season. Some guys embrace it, they want it that way. Some guys just don't. They want the 20 carries a game and that's it, they want to be done with it."

But Henry doesn't want to just embrace the idea of being the guy. He wants to grab it and lug it as many times as Shanahan lets him.

He wants to help turn back the clock on the idea that an NFL backfield has become a place for sharing, a place where many hands make light work.

But following Davis' footsteps in the Broncos offense is certainly a grueling quest.

Davis carried the ball at least 369 times in the two seasons that ended in Super Bowl wins - 1997 and '98 - and carried the ball 345 times in '96, when the Broncos finished 13-3.

Henry's résumé - it includes three 1,000-yard seasons and two seasons with at least 325 carries - points to the potential to carry that type of load.

"Me, personally, I'm from the old school," Henry said. "From watching Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, all those guys, it was one back. That's it. One guy got the ball.

"It's good to have the backup in case something goes wrong, but as far as rotating during the game, that takes away from a premier back trying to get in a rhythm. So, a two-back rotation? I guess I don't see it."

Two better than one?

When the Indianapolis Colts were rolling toward their win in Super Bowl XLI in February, coach Tony Dungy made a point to say he believed a two-back system was the way go as he split carries between Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai.

Addai became the first back in league history to top 1,000 yards in a season in which he did not start a game.

It was the unappreciated part of their title run. After all, Indianapolis had 100 yards rushing in its divisional-round win against the Baltimore Ravens and 125 yards rushing - 93 of those came in the second half after the Colts trailed 21-6 - in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots.

And the night the Colts hoisted the big trophy, they had rushed for 191 yards against the Chicago Bears, who had finished the regular season as the league's No. 5 defense. Rhodes had 21 carries for 113 yards and Addai finished with 77 yards on 19 carries to go with 10 receptions.

Bears coach Lovie Smith, who spread out his ground game between Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson last season, joined the chorus in the week leading up to that title game - that two backs could be, in the right situation, better than one.

"But to me, if you got one back, play him," Henry said. "Because the more times he touches the ball, the better he gets in the course of the ballgame. Indy's got one back, now that Rhodes left (in free agency) and the Bears have one back, too, with Jones gone."

Of course, results are the key.

"To me, you just look at the guy, look at the production," Shanahan said. "There is no big secret there. Clinton Portis was a 1,500-yard back, 5.7 yards a carry, maybe 5.8, so why use two backs when a guy is that productive? When a guy's that good? Why would you use two backs when you had (Davis) getting 2,000 yards?

"It's up to the guy. If a guy is that productive, putting up those kinds of numbers and you're having success, there is no reason to use two backs. If he doesn't have that type of ability, that type of talent, then you switch them off to keep both guys healthy and be productive."

Shanahan believes Henry fits the profile of a potential workhorse. He has proved, in college and as a pro, he can handle plenty of work.

With a lower center of gravity than many backs, Henry also is built for the pounding he takes. He also finishes runs hard, which means he often dishes out as much impact as he takes by the time the run is over.

He had six 100-yard games last season for a Tennessee Titans team that finished 8-8. After taking a brief look at Ahman Green, the Broncos believed enough to give Henry a five-year deal - it came just two days after the Titans released him to avoid paying an $8.3 million roster bonus - that includes $12 million in guaranteed money.

"Coach Shanahan has been watching me since I've been in the league, he knows what type of back I am," Henry said. "I think that's why he got me here. I think he pretty much knows my game and what I'm about."

Tell the truth

Henry said one of the biggest things needed for a back to survive being the hub of a team's ground game is honesty. Take the ball as many times as he can, but also know when it's time for a series when someone else might get a few carries.

"When I'm tired and I can't go, I tap out," Henry said. "Because I have learned in the past, when you're tired, you can fumble, get hurt, get injured, so when I'm tired and I need a blow, I'm honest with them.

"Some guys want it all, and that's when, sometimes, something bad happens. If you've got a good backup and you need a blow and then he goes out there and busts a 20- or 30-yarder, let him stay in there. That's the way I feel about it. But with all that, I'll take the ball as many times as he wants to give it to me. I don't want it all, just most of it, I guess."

As always, Shanahan said, the bottom line is getting the job done.

"Would you like one guy to carry the load and gets 2,000 yards or carry the ball 400 times? Sure, you would," Shanahan said. "You want production. You want to win. Hopefully, you get the type of guy who can do that. And if you do, you keep giving him the ball."

Countdown

Ready for some football? The opening of Broncos training camp is a week away and the regular- season opener is in 50 days. Key dates:

• Players report: July 28.

• First practice: July 29.

• Preseason games (all times MDT)

Aug. 13 at San Francisco, 6 p.m.

Aug. 18 at Dallas, 6 p.m.

Aug. 25 vs. Cleveland, 7 p.m.

Aug. 30 vs. Arizona, 7 p.m.

• Roster: Trim to 75 players Aug. 28.

• Roster: Trim to 53 players Sept. 1.

• Regular-season opener

Sept. 9 at Buffalo, 11 a.m.

Whatever it takes

During the 12 years of Mike Shanahan's coaching tenure, the Broncos routinely have churned out rushing yardage. They have done it largely with solo acts - runners with at least 59 percent of the carries - in the backfield. The rundown on the running game:

• GOING SOLO

Season Running back Percentage of carries Team rushing rank W-L

1996 Terrell Davis 65.7 1st 13-3

1997 Terrell Davis 71.0 4th 12-4*

1998 Terrell Davis 74.7 2nd 14-2*

1999 Olandis Gary 59.4 12th 6-10

2002 Clinton Portis 59.7 5th 9-7

• GROUP EFFORTS

1995 Terrell Davis 53.9 5th 8-8 Aaron Craver 16.6 Glyn Milburn 11.1

2000 Mike Anderson 57.6 3rd 11-5 Terrell Davis 15.1 KaRon Coleman 10.5

2001 Mike Anderson 36.4 10th 8-8 Terrell Davis 34.7 Olandis Gary 11.9

2003 Clinton Portis 53.4 2nd 10-6 Howard Griffin 17.3 Mike Anderson 12.9

2004 Reuben Droughns 51.5 4th 10-6 Quentin Griffin 15.9 Tatum Bell 14.0

2005 Mike Anderson 44.1 2nd 13-3 Tatum Bell 31.9 Ron Dayne 9.8

2006 Tatum Bell 47.7 8th 9-7 Mike Bell 32.2

*Won Super Bowl

Getting to know Henry

Running back Travis Henry signed with the Broncos as a free agent March 5. Some facts and figures:

• Height: 5-foot-9. • Weight: 215 pounds.

• College: Tennessee. • Birth date: Oct. 29, 1978.

• Birthplace: Frostproof, Fla. • Pro year: Seventh.

• NFL games played/started: 7 8/62.

• Etc.: Ranked 10th in the NFL in rushing in 2006 with the Titans. . . . Acquired by Tennessee on July 18, 2005, in a trade with the Bills. . . . Voted to the Pro Bowl in 2002 with the Bills. . . . All-time leader at the University of Tennessee in career rushing yards (3,078) and helped the school win the national championship during the 1998 season.

• RUSHING STATISTICS

Year Team G GS Att Yds Avg Long TD

2001 Buffalo 13 12 213 729 3.4 25 4

2002 Buffalo 16 16 325 1,438 4.4 34 13

2003 Buffalo 15 15 331 1,356 4.1 64 10

2004 Buffalo 10 5 94 326 3.5 19 0

2005 Tennessee 10 1 88 335 3.8 29 0

2006 Tennessee 14 13 270 1,211 4.5 70 7Source: Denverbroncos.Com

legwoldj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2359

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