EAST LANSING, Mich. — It took them a few years, but they're finally together, as promised.
And though it's still early in Xavier Henderson's senior season at Michigan State, he and his "new" position coach, Harlon Barnett, seem to be making up for lost time.
Barnett played an integral part Henderson's recruitment as a four-star defensive back out of Pickerington (Ohio) Central several years ago. He'd coached him at Michigan State's elite youth camp as a sophomore, and Henderson became the first verbal commitment in the Spartans' 2018 class at the start of his junior season.
But soon after Henderson had signed his letter of intent and showed up on campus as an early enrollee that January, Barnett was gone, leaving Michigan State after an 11-year stint on head coach Mark Dantonio's staff to become the defensive coordinator at Florida State.
"The first day I got here, he was at Florida State," Henderson said, "and I was sick about it."
Just how upset he was, Barnett didn't quite realize until he'd returned to his alma mater last year, signing on as part of Mel Tucker's new staff in East Lansing.
"He was mad at me," Barnett said of Henderson. "He told me that after I came back. I didn't know that. But he was mad at me."
Positive signs
Yet now it's working out just as they'd both hoped, with Henderson emerging as a leader for Michigan State's defense and, under Barnett's tutelage, a legitimate NFL prospect at safety.
Through two games, Henderson leads the Spartans' defense in a handful of statistical categories, while Pro Football Focus actually lists him as the nation's top-rated safety. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound senior has allowed just two catches in two games, according to PFF's grading, and his highlight-reel interception last week against Youngstown State — a ridiculous one-handed grab that prevented a second-quarter touchdown — caught everyone's attention.
"My phone was blowing up because of it," he said Wednesday, laughing. "It was crazy."
But Henderson also has racked up 17 tackles — including three for losses, with a pair of sacks — and that certainly hasn't gone unnoticed by Michigan State's coaching staff.
Said Tucker: "His tackling in space has been a point of emphasis."
And to hear both Barnett and Henderson talk, it's a point that has been made repeatedly over the last year. Move your feet. Bend at the knees. Stay low. Get square to the ball carrier. Again and again.
"He's done a phenomenal job of that through the spring and summer and now through the first part of the season," Barnett said. "I'm really happy for him. Last year, we were getting on him about tackling and he received it and responded. ... And that's awesome. That's a sign of a guy that wants to be better."
And of a player who wants to play at the next level, which is a goal Henderson spoke openly about this summer. He'll have another year of eligibility after this season if he chooses, but Henderson, who has made 22 consecutive starts for the Spartans, is eager to follow in the footsteps of his former teammate, Khari Willis, who is now a starting safety for the Indianapolis Colts. And sooner rather than later.
Putting it together
That's why he's thrilled to be working more closely now with Barnett, who coached the Spartans' cornerbacks last season but is handling the safeties and nickel backs this season while holding the official title of defensive secondary coach. (Travares Tillman coaches the MSU cornerbacks after spending last season as a senior defensive assistant.)
"Having him this year has been great," said Henderson, who'll play a critical role Saturday as Michigan State travels to face Miami (Fla.) in the Spartans' biggest test yet this season. "I think he has helped me a lot with my game but we've got some more work to do."
Asked for specifics, Henderson didn't hesitate. He knows Barnett's history at the position he plays, which included seven years as an NFL safety. And he has heard plenty about what's required of it, well aware that Barnett was coached by Nick Saban and Bill Belichick once upon a time.
"Tackling," Henderson said, nodding. "Just because (Barnett) did it so well when he was here and that's what got him to the league. And I think he's helped me a lot with my tackling. And really just playing more confident overall. He's got a lot of confidence in me and that helps me play better."
The way Barnett sees it, the talent was always there with Henderson, who picked Michigan State over Boston College, Kentucky and Mississippi, among other Power Five programs.
"His high school coach used to always say, 'He's the best player I ever had,' and that school has a lot of good players every year," Barnett said, referencing Jay Sharrett, the longtime coach at Pickerington Central, which has produced NFL talent like Taco Charlton, DaVon Hamilton, Zach Boren and A.J. Trapasso. "This year, coaching him and being around him, I see what Coach (Sharrett) was saying. The guy's a really good football player. Really sharp. I like smart football players and tough football players, and that's what he is."
What he's becoming now, too, is a more vocal leader for the Spartans, realizing that, as Barnett puts it, "people respect him on this team and your word matters, your voice matters." Tucker names captains for each game and it's notable that Henderson will be a captain for the third time Saturday in Miami. No other player has done it more than once.
"He's really helping us taking steps toward being a player-led team," Tucker said. "We're not there yet, but he's one of those guys that's willing to step up and confront his teammates and demand that they do it right. And you need those type of guys. ... I'm really proud of what he has done."
So is Barnett, who adds with a knowing smile, "I'm just glad that I was able to come back and actually coach him."'
.png?w=600)
