Henry and Tigers’ defense ‘going to be a problem’ for any opponent
Following a Top-10 win over NC State in Week 5, Clemson defensive end K.J. Henry believes the Tigers are creeping in on their maximum potential.
Clemson’s defense, coupled with an efficient offensive showing, led the way in the victory over the Wolfpack, holding NC State’s offense to 279 total yards.
The performance was one week after the Tigers gave up 45 points to Wake Forest, so Henry knew the critical nature of a bounce-back outing.
“(It was a) great physical offensive line that we played against, but it was all about us. We knew we could play better,” Henry said. “We haven’t necessarily played up to our standard as a collective in all four quarters all season. We knew we could play better tonight. We feel that when we play to our best, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing, we’re going to be a problem.”
Henry and the Tigers’ defense was indeed a problem against the Wolfpack, as they also forced two turnovers and had five sacks on the night.
“In a game like this, you see what happens when we all bring the right mindset and a great week of preparation,” Henry said. “Now it’s all these puzzle pieces that we’re figuring out, and it’s about putting it together. And once we do, something special is going to happen.”
The 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive end finished the Week 5 game with two total tackles and one fumble recovery.
Helping fill the void of the injured Xavier Thomas, Henry now has 20 total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on the season.
Although the victory over in-division rival NC State was a pivotal stepping stone for the Tigers, the fifth-year senior added that the team must have a next-game mentality.
“This is just a game that we wanted to win because they were another team in our way,” Henry said. “We won’t be smoking no cigars or drinking out of no red solo cups tonight. It’s just water bottles and getting ready for the next one. That’s all we’re worried about.”
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