KJ Henry Plans to 'Dance My Tail Off' After Clemson Victories, Talks up Tigers Offense

Clemson graduate senior KJ Henry takes on new appreciation for winning, likes what he's seen from QB DJ Uiagalelei as a leader and prepares for a different Georgia Tech opponent.

Jason Priester/All Clemson

When Dabo Swinney preached last year about how Clemson's 10-3 season gave the program a better appreciation for winning, the message really hit home with defensive end KJ Henry. 

The graduate senior said that it wasn't just the fans that needed that reminder. The players did as well. 

"When we win we dance. I thought I got too old to dance, but I promise you, every win we get this year, I'm dancing my tail off because I'm reminded of how hard it is to win and how much work we put in to win," Henry said. "I'm going to appreciate every moment we get."

Henry said the team has rallied around not making the College Football Playoff or winning the ACC title in 2021, and he feels like this is the tightest-knit group he's been a part of since coming to Clemson in 2018.

He hopes that and this team's desire to get back to a high level of winning will show when the No. 4 Tigers take the field Monday at 8 p.m. against Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. 

"We know what we're capable of. It's going to start with this game," Henry said. "We're only focused on this game and being the best version of ourselves. but we're excited. We're excited to go play and prove that we belong. Not only do we belong but we're one of the best in the country." 

Here are some other notes from Henry's media availability in Clemson on Monday:

• To prepare for a Georgia Tech that had mass turnover via the NCAA transfer portal and several new coaches on the offensive side of the ball, Henry said the Tigers have watched the Yellow Jackets' spring game and games from last year to get a feel for the personnel, but it helps that he's played GT every season he's been at Clemson. To understand the scheme, he said they've watched old Notre Dame games for when offensive coordinator Chip Long was there. The Tigers beat the Irish with Long at OC in the Cotton Bowl in 2018.
  "In that first game, you can get anything," Henry said. "We've got to be prepared for it all but at the same time, football is still football. By halftime, we'll have a feel for who they are, who they want to be that game and then fix things and go from there."
• As for Tech quarterback Jeff Sims, Henry said he's a dual-threat talent who can "turn a negative play into a positive" and that he'll be a "good test" for the Tigers. It'll take paying more attention to details and tackling angles to keep Sims from getting out of the pocket.  
• Henry continues to discuss the leadership of Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei and how much the team is behind the starter heading into the season.
  "It wasn't all on him," Henry said about Uiagalelei's struggles last year. "The locker room knows that. I think the fans don't, but he's done a great job of just taking that on the chest. That's the leader every team wants to see in their quarterback. He's going to take the bullet for us as a team, especially as an offense, but it's not all on him. DJ's one of those guys who's become a better version of himself in the offseason."
  
• Going up against the offense every day in practice, Henry has seen great progress from a unit that struggled last year.
  "There's not one person on offense who didn't get better this year, who hasn't grown in some capacity over the spring and over the summer," Henry said. "As an offense, and defense too, there's nobody who took a step back. You're going to see a better version of everyone come Monday." 

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