Kansas Flash Happy He Stuck Around

June Henley’s best move may turn out to be his decision to stay at Kansas for his senior season. The running back was close to leaving for the NFL draft last year, but several events convinced him one more season with the Jayhawks would increase his value,

So far, so good.

With little fanfare, Henley has 388 yards and seven touchdowns in Kansas’ first two games and is among the nation’s leaders in scoring, rushing and all-purpose yardage. In the Jayhawks’ 52-17 win over TCU on Sept. 14, Henley ran for 201 yards and a school-record tying four TDs in just three quarters.

“I feel like if I get the ball, I’m going to get the job done anyway I can,” the 5-foot-11, 215-pounder said. “Just keep me healthy and keep my line healthy, and I should have more games like that.”

TCU coach Pat Sullivan definitely believes in Henley.

“We will be watching him next year on Sunday afternoons,” he said. “That Henley is something special.”

Henley may have been overlooked last season because he did not put up great numbers, mainly because coach Tony Mason also used him at wide receiver. He finished with 802 yards rushing and 312 receiving.

A powerful runner who likes to bowl over defenders, Henley has also shown the ability to elude tacklers.

“He has some awfully good moves, good quickness and enough speed to turn in big plays,” said Mason, whose team was idle this weekend. “Over the long haul, he’s been able to come up with big plays.”

At his current pace, Henley is likely to become the greatest runner in Kansas history. With 2,880 career yards, Henley has passed Gale Sayers and John Riggins and is closing in on Tony Sands’ school record of 3,788 yards. He already has the school record with 32 TDs.

What kept him in school? Too many underclassman running backs leaving and Mason’s decision to return to Kansas after originally resigning to take the Georgia job.

“One of the big reasons I stayed was everybody was telling me a lot of running backs were coming out, and who was to say how high I would go?” Henley said. “I felt if I got picked up real late, that I’m better than that.”

When Mason resigned, Henley figured he might as well leave, too. But when Mason changed his mind, Henley reconsidered.

“I didn’t want to come back into a new system,” Henley said. “If one of the assistants got the job, I would have considered staying. I’m happy the way it worked out.”

“I’m sure glad he’s back here,” Mason said. “And if he keeps going the way he is, he’ll do nothing but help his position in the NFL draft.”