Out of the 44 true freshmen on the 2019 Sun Devil football roster, perhaps no first-year player had as big of a challenge as LaDarius Henderson from Waxahachie, Texas.

Henderson, who was only 17-years-old in late August of last year was thrust into the starting offensive line for Arizona State ahead of one of the Sun Devils’ biggest tests, a rematch with the Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing. Henderson’s first collegiate matchup was against one of the best pass rushers in the Big Ten, current Minnesota Viking Kenny Willekes.

Henderson, who began playing football as a junior in high school, started 10 games for ASU in 2019 at left tackle, protecting the blind side of another freshman thrust into a starting role, quarterback Jayden Daniels. Henderson, who didn’t turn 18 until December, took nearly every collegiate snap which he played as the youngest player on the field.

The Texan tackle may not have been the ideal choice for offensive line coach Dave Christensen, who planned to redshirt most of the freshmen offensive linemen. However, due to a severe lack of depth and a multitude of injuries, Henderson and another freshman, guard Dohnovan West, were dispatched into the trenches. Despite playing against much more experienced competition, Henderson was never afraid of a matchup, as he oozes confidence on the gridiron, fully trusting his abilities.

“Even some games where it may have looked like I wasn’t ready, I never felt like I was not ready no matter who I was going against or how big the [defensive] end was,” Henderson told Devils Digest. “I felt prepared for this from even high school. I’ve never felt overwhelmed in a game or just outmatched. I am an extremely confident person, so I felt ready for it.”

Now a sophomore, Henderson returns to Tempe as a much more experienced player for Christensen and the Sun Devils. In spring practices, Henderson was forced out of his starting job at left tackle by graduate transfer Kellen Diesch, who secured the spot almost as soon as he stepped on campus. As a result, Henderson was reassigned to the right tackle spot, a place he’s battled for the starting job against his friend and roommate Ben Scott for the duration of the preseason. Henderson did not initially enjoy the switch, however on Thursday; it seemed as if Henderson’s sentiments had changed.

“I don't think (right tackle) is as different as I originally (thought) when I first started playing it. So I'm definitely more comfortable there now,” Henderson explained. “I'm just kind of hitting my stride at it right there. And it's starting to become fun now. I feel like I'm starting to put it together.”

Diesch, the redshirt senior transfer from Texas A&M who took Henderson’s spot at left tackle has served as a good example in practice for Henderson, quietly teaching the younger offensive linemen through his actions rather than his words.

“Seeing how (Diesch) does some of the things he does (has been helpful as) he's not as vocal sometimes. Just being able to see how he does some of the things he does, it’s like ‘Okay, I’ll take those steps the way he took them,’” Henderson described.

While Diesch has guided Henderson, with his actions, West, who is also a sophomore, has surprisingly been the most helpful out of all the offensive linemen in Henderson’s eyes.

“I don’t know if a lot of people know this, but Dohnovan is not like a normal younger guy,” Henderson said of his friend and teammate in the trenches. “He's definitely pretty smart, like really smart. He's kind of advanced. One thing that I noticed that Dohnovan does that I talked to him about, he's told me about is breaking your hips through on contact. Everybody knows to bring your hips through. But this is the thing Dohnovan is able to do; he connects his hips automatically…..He has so much power on initial impact. He was telling me a lot of stuff about that during the offseason.”

Henderson spent his offseason working on his weight and size while also adjusting his mindset, as mental strength is a vital component for any offensive lineman.

“I think a lot of it has to do with the mental part of the game, (there are) some new techniques and things that I'm I've been working on,” Henderson said. “When it comes to o-line, everybody in the country is taking the pass set, everybody's run blocking, and a lot of things can kind of be the same, but there are some small things that make a big difference in who's really good and who's not that good. It could be a very small thing, so this offseason, I've been trying to work on those small things to separate myself.”

Henderson, who weighed 285 pounds when he first stepped on ASU campus, put on 20 pounds over the offseason, something he says was a general trend along the offensive line as a result of the quarantine-like environments of the late spring and summer.

“This group has a lot of potential to (be extra physical) because of our size and strength,” Henderson noted. I feel like everybody, especially with this big quarantine, everybody's (gained) some weight and some strength when we got back because you need a little bit of weight to put (muscle) on. So everybody's pretty much bigger than we probably would have been had we not had that time to get a little stronger. So I think we're doing pretty well moving guys off the ball.”

ASU’s offensive line could use the extra physicality in 2020, as the revolving door of injuries and lack of depth acted as a major hindrance to the success of the group in 2019. With a long offseason to connect and grow as a unit, Henderson explained how the o-line room has meshed and bonded over the summer.

“The chemistry has (improved a lot) because, in the spring, we were all kind of just getting to know each other,” Henderson admitted. “It's kind of weird once you start really hanging out, getting to know each other, and doing the same things over and over with each other every day on the field. You just know what a certain guy likes you to do rather than another person.”

***

Out of all the positions in ASU’s new 4-3-4 defense installed by co-defensive coordinators Antonio Pierce and Marvin Lewis, the most complete is the Sun Devil linebacker core. The three starters, two of whom are captains, bring a plethora of in-game experience and leadership to the ASU front seven.

Captains Darien Butler and Kyle Soelle, along with Merlin Robertson, make up the talented trio, but two freshman linebackers have also made their presence felt throughout the duration of the preseason.

The first of the pair, Will Shaffer is a local product out of Saguaro High School in Scottsdale. A three-sport athlete who also played both sides of the ball for the Sabercats, Shaffer brings explosive athleticism and productivity to the Sun Devil defense and special teams, however for Shaffer, the biggest challenge has been adjusting to the speed of college football.

“Every day, I notice that the speed from high school to college is definitely a significant (difference), playing at that high level is needed to be able to be successful in college,” Shaffer said. “As we’ve gone on, I’ve started to get the hang of things, just getting the calls out and then also being able to play with speed and being able to make plays are going to be a huge part of the game.”

While the change in pace is difficult for most freshmen, the challenge has been somewhat negated due to the leadership of ASU’s starting trio of linebackers.

“Pretty much all three of the older backers, Kyle, Merlin, and Darien, they all have been very, very helpful to us young guys as to what we need to know when we come into sub for them, and they make sure we play with high energy,” Shaffer stated. “They harp on us about that a lot. And pretty much all three of them have been a lot of help.”

With the installment of ASU’s new defense, Shaffer, has felt right at home due to the familiarity of the system, as the first-year linebacker played an almost identical role in the Sabercats’ defense.

“I started to notice that it's very similar to what we did at Saguaro. I love the scheme, I love the calls, I’ve started to contribute very, very easily,” Shaffer explained as he compared the two systems. “I played more inside (linebacker) at Saguaro, but I'm starting to transition playing outside linebacker, but it's not that much of a change with this, it just really just calls, hand signals, and everything. But the scheme is very similar, the coverages, everything is very, very similar.”

For now, as a freshman, Shaffer will most likely largely contribute on special teams and in practice, but regardless of whatever role the Saguaro product is inserted into, he’s ready for the challenge.

“Right now, I’m playing a lot of special teams going down there on kickoff, punt, a lot of kickoff return as well, (just trying) to go down there and make plays and really just find a role to make this team successful,” Shaffer explained. “(I’ve been) subbing in on defense here and there, but wherever the coaches ask me to play, (I) make sure to go play at 110%.”

As a freshman at Saguaro, Shaffer played with Soelle, one of ASU’s five captains and defensive standouts. As one of three former Sabercat linebackers on the ASU roster, along with Soelle and his younger brother Connor, Shaffer looks up to the eldest Soelle and enjoys the prospect of playing with his former high school teammates.

“Yeah, when I was a freshman at Saguaro. Kyle was a senior, and he's been a lot of help to me, even when I was a young guy, showing us what (it took) to be able to play at the next level,” Shaffer said, smiling. And with Connor being a year older, it's really cool. I look around the linebacker room and see three guys from (my) hometown and as well as Saguaro High School. Being able to play on the big stage (with them), it means a lot. It kind of feels surreal. At the same time, we have a chance to go do big things.”

The other freshman linebacker Caleb McCollough, who hails from Oxnard, California, reflected Shaffer’s desire to perform at a high level in college, but the first-year linebacker also related to Shaffer regarding the challenges of adjusting to the tasks of a collegiate defensive play-caller.

“At first in the spring I was just running around, not really knowing what I was doing, McCullough stated. “Now I kind of have a sense of what I’m doing. It’s just that the game (has become) a lot slower (my) technique is getting better. I feel like I’m getting a lot better but still have a lot of work (to do), as does everybody.”

McCullough also reflected Shaffers views regarding how valuable the experienced trio of Sun Devil linebackers has been in guiding the younger linebackers on the Arizona State roster.

“Oh, yeah, they helped me a lot. They are kind of like older brothers, McCullough said. “I don't even go to the coaches (that much). Sometimes I'll just go to them and ask them questions, and they'll let me know, and then I'll just be good. They really helped me a lot.”

McCullough is like many of the players on the roster in that he is from Southern California and grew up watching USC football. ASU’s opener on Nov. 7 against USC serves as a homecoming for players like the first-year linebacker.

“Growing up, you actually watch USC, you know, you dream of going and playing for USC and stuff. Now to actually be playing against them, it’s pretty cool,” McCullough described.

Last year, the Sun Devils hosted the Trojans at Sun Devil Stadium. USC quarterback Kedon Slovis dissected the Sun Devil secondary in the first quarter, as the Trojans put up 28 points in the first quarter.

While McCullough’s homecoming in his first collegiate contest is a dream come true for the Oxnard native, the freshman is adamant about contributing in each and every way possible, allowing a glimpse into the mindset of ASU’s defense, a group that hopes to thwart the Trojan pass attack in 2020

“(We have to) be ready (and come out) the gate ready. We already know what (USC is) going to do. (We need to) come into the game ready,” McCullough stressed. (We can’t) wait until the third or fourth quarter to wake up. If we come in ready, we will be straight.”

Join your fellow Sun Devil fans on our premium message board, the Devils’ Huddle, to discuss this article and other ASU football and recruiting topics. Not a member yet? Sign up today here and get all the latest Sun Devil news!