Northeast Mississippi Community College Athletics

Robert Henry may be known predominantly as an outstanding coach, but his pigskin career truly began to blossom as an athlete at then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College.

Henry was a talented defensive standout for the Tigers that Ward, who is a NJCAA Hall of Famer, used at multiple positions. He was named the most valuable player for his unit after seeing action at linebacker and on the line.

Northeast captured victories over East Mississippi Community College and Southwest Mississippi Community College during Henry's inaugural campaign on the Booneville campus.

The Tigers improved the following year and captured four wins with Henry on the field. Northeast defeated Southwest for the second straight season and also bested East Central Community College, Hinds Community College and Holmes Community College.

The three wins against opponents from the MACJC South Division is tied for the second most in a single season in program history. The Tigers also accomplished the same feat during the 1974, 1980 and 1989 campaigns.

Henry was the only freshman to earn a spot on the MACJC All-State team. He received an invitation to participate in the annual MACJC All-Star Game following his sophomore year as well.

The Corinth native switched sides of the football after signing with the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and lettered at offensive guard in 1975. He graduated two years later and began a 35-year coaching career that fall at Laurel's R.H. Watkins High School.

Henry moved into the collegiate ranks in 1980 at the University of Southern Mississippi. His defense topped the nation in scoring one season after his arrival in Hattiesburg.

His third stop was at powerhouse Southern Methodist (Texas) University. Henry was the defensive line instructor at a school that compiled a 43-14-1 overall record during his five-year stay with appearances in the Aloha Bowl, Cotton Bowl and Sun Bowl.

Henry accepted the same post at the University of Tennessee prior to the 1987 campaign. He returned to the Magnolia State after only one season with the Volunteers to serve as the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss.

He helped the Rebels compile 27 triumphs and back-to-back bowl appearances with a victory over the United States Air Force Academy (Colo.) in the 1989 Liberty Bowl and a loss to the University of Michigan at the 1991 Gator Bowl. Henry was nominated for Southeastern Conference (SEC) assistant coach of the year while at Ole Miss in 1988.

Henry took a short hiatus from coaching, but returned to the gridiron at Northwestern State (La.) University in 1994. He has completed stints at fellow NCAA Division I institutions Baylor (Texas) University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Wyoming as well.

The Corinth High School alumnus most recently found success at the NCAA Division II level. He drastically improved Henderson State (Ark.) University's defense over his five-year tenure.

The Reddies went from conceding 403.5 yards per game to giving up only 276.9 yards with Henry on the sidelines. Henderson State ranked 10th nationally during the 2007 season by only allowing opposing offenses to compile 267.4 yards.

Henry was hired in January 2010 at the University of West Alabama. He developed the Tigers' defense into a top-five unit overall nationally and the best at pass efficiency.

He instructed cornerback Malcolm Butler as the defensive coordinator for West Alabama. Butler secured New England's victory over Seattle in the National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl XLIX with an interception late in the contest.