NC State Football
NC State Coach Aaron Henry’s Pregame Speeches Going Viral
If you’ve been watching NC State Football docu-series ‘ONE’ then you’ve likely seen Aaron Henry. He’s the coach whose pregame speeches are something out of a ‘beat the odds’ sports movie. Just check the YouTube comments on some of the ‘ONE’ episodes.
Henry’s speeches aren’t just motivating the Wolfpack football team anymore, they are touching the souls of NC State fans. In fact, the NC State marketing department should kick in some funds to get Henry a raise because what he is doing is what they strive to do (and pour thousands of dollars into doing) day in and day out. He is creating an emotional connection with Pack fans. He is creating a relationship with this team that is deeper than a fan just tuning into a game once a week.
It’s actually amazing what words backed with passion and conviction can do. There is no doubt in my mind that Henry’s speeches are an ingredient in the recipe of what is making this NC State football team so special. The ability to take 18-21-year-olds and channel their focus is tough. Not many know how and of those that do, not many have the gift to do it. Aaron Henry, however, does.
When asked about Henry’s speeches a few days ago, Dave Doeren had this to say:
He’s doing a great job.
Aaron, as a player, was incredibly spiritual. He was captain of our team at Wisconsin. He was a guy that was involved in FCA and all the different things that went on, on campus. He’s always been a tremendous leader.
When I first got here and hired Al Byrd to work for Johnny Evans and the FCA, I actually tried to get Aaron to be our team chaplain because I think that much of him as a leader.
I didn’t expect that to happen when I sat down with him in the summer. He’s taken it on his own and proud of him for it. He’s doing a great job with it.
Yesterday, the News & Observer’s Joe Giglio ran a great story on Henry that we really suggest you read. In it, he details Henry’s upbringing in the church and how he thought he would eventually become a minister, but how his love for football pushed him into coaching. Here are a few great quotes from Henry in that piece:
“I’m just a new guy trying to find my way. It just started off as me just trying to motivate the players. Now they’re kind of looking forward to them.”
“If you speak positivity into these young men, and you speak resiliency, you speak hard work and just pride into them, they’ll do it,”
“I genuinely love these guys, and I want them to know that I love them. I really believe young men are going to play so much harder when they know that you care about them. All those speeches are is to let them know this coaching staff cares about them. It’s just crazy what words can do.”
With the Wolfpack starting down the toughest stretch of the season, they are going to need all the motivation, focus and passion they can get. Let’s hope Henry is cooking up something next-level for the Notre Dame pregame.
ON3’s Jesse Simonton ranked the Top-25 College Football Coaches heading into the 2024 season, and NC State’s Dave Doeren ranks 23rd.
Here’s what Simonton had to say about Doeren:
23. Dave Doeren, NC State
Doeren became the Wolfpack’s all-time winningest head coach last season, overcoming all manors of offensive ineptitude to win eight games for the fourth straight season. He still hasn’t busted through the glass ceiling and taken NC State to an ACC Championship, but the Wolfpack have legitimate conference title hopes in 2024 with the offseason work Doeren has done via the portal (quarterback Grayson McCall, tailbacks Jordan Waters and Hollywood Smothers and receivers Noah Rogers and Wesley Grimes).
In 11 seasons in Raleigh, Doeren’s program has been steadily consistent and has become a model for development (17 NFL Draft picks since 2018) and strength and conditioning. (ON3)
ACC Coaches in the Top-25
6. Dabo Swinney (Clemson)
7. Mike Norvell (FSU)
20. Jeff Brohm (Louisville)
23. Dave Doeren (NC State)
The 1st round of the 2024 NFL Draft will begin this evening at 8pm on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. NC State has had 19 players drafted in the 1st round.
NC State ranks 8th in ACC history in 1st Round Picks.
Three of the Wolfpack’s 1st Round Picks have come under Dave Doeren’s watch, which ranks 2nd all-time in school history. Chuck Amato had 5 players drafted in the 1st round, which is the most ever under a coach at NC State.
Chuck Amato – 5
Dave Doeren – 3
Mike O’Cain – 2
Dick Sheridan – 2
Bo Rein – 2
Earle Edwards – 2
While most projections don’t have Wolfpack Linebacker Payton Wilson going in the 1st round tonight, a few do. Wilson was invited to attend the NFL Draft, but he will be tuning in from his home in Hillsborough. We’ll have to tune in tonight to see if Wilson hears his name called on the 1st night of the 2024 NFL Draft.
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