Aaron Henry (American football)
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1988)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Aaron Henry
| image =
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| current_title = Defensive coordinator
| current_team = Illinois
| current_conference = Big Ten
| current_record =
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|11|28}}
| birth_place = Immokalee, Florida, U.S.
| death_date =
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| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 2007–2011
| player_team1 = Wisconsin
| player_years2 = 2012
| player_team2 = Oakland Raiders*
| player_positions = Defensive back
| coach_years1 = 2014–2015
| coach_team1 = Arkansas (GA)
| coach_years2 = 2016
| coach_team2 = Rutgers (DB)
| coach_years3 = 2017
| coach_team3 = NC State (S)
| coach_years4 = 2018–2019
| coach_team4 = NC State (CB)
| coach_years5 = 2020
| coach_team5 = Vanderbilt (CB)
| coach_years6 = 2021–2022
| coach_team6 = Illinois (DB)
| coach_years7 = 2023–present
| coach_team7 = Illinois (DC)
| overall_record =
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| coaching_records =
}}
Aaron Henry (born November 28, 1988) is an American football coach and former safety who is currently the defensive coordinator at the University of Illinois. He began his professional career with the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL), and played his college football for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Playing career
=High School=
Henry was a multi sport athlete at Immokalee High School in Immokalee, Florida.{{Cite web |title=College football: Immokalee’s Aaron Henry named assistant at Rutgers |url=http://www.naplesnews.com/sports/college/college-football-immokalees-aaron-henry-named-assistant-at-rutgers-27f92649-a17a-5f28-e053-0100007f3-363661901.html |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=www.naplesnews.com |language=en}} As a wide receiver and defensive back, he helped Immokalee to the 2004 Florida state title and go undefeated in the 2006 regular season. He was an all-state football player, all-county basketball player, and state qualifier in track.{{Cite web |title=College football: Immokalee grad, former Badgers star Aaron Henry coaching at Arkansas |url=http://www.naplesnews.com/sports/other/college-football-immokalee-grad-former-badgers-star-aaron-henry-coaching-at-arkansas-ep-745175801-336258911.html |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=www.naplesnews.com |language=en}}
=College=
He committed to play safety at Wisconsin under head coach Bret Bielema. There he was a three time Academic All-Big Ten recipient along with being awarded first and second team All-Big Ten.{{Cite web |title=Aaron Henry {{!}} Football |url=https://uwbadgers.com/sports/football/roster/aaron-henry/602 |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=Wisconsin Badgers |language=en}}
=NFL=
In 2012 he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Oakland Raiders,{{Cite web |title=Player Profile: S Aaron Henry |url=https://www.raiders.com/news/player-profile-s-aaron-henry-7511080 |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=Las Vegas Raiders |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Elliot |date=2012-05-10 |title=Q&A: Aaron Henry on taking next step with Raiders |url=https://badgerherald.com/sports/2012/05/10/qa-aaron-henry-on-ta |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=The Badger Herald}} however he was cut before the regular season.
Coaching career
=Arkansas=
In 2014 Henry began his career in coaching as a defensive graduate assistant at Arkansas under his former coach at Wisconsin Bret Bielema. He stayed there until the end of the 2015 season.{{Cite web |last=NJ.com |first=Dan Duggan {{!}} NJ Advance Media for |date=2015-12-28 |title=RU to hire Arkansas GA Aaron Henry as asst. DB coach |url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/2015/12/rutgers_to_hire_arkansas_ga_aaron_henry_as_assista.html |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=nj |language=en}}
=Rutgers=
=NC State=
In 2017 he went to NC State as the team's safeties coach.{{Cite web |date=2017-01-20 |title=NC State hires Henry to coach safeties |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/18518321/nc-state-hires-former-wisconsin-db-aaron-henry-coach-safeties |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=ESPN.com}}{{Cite web |last=NJ.com |first=Keith Sargeant {{!}} NJ Advance Media for |date=2017-01-16 |title=RU assistant DB coach Aaron Henry leaves to join NC St. |url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/2017/01/source_aaron_henry_leaves_rutgers_assistant_db_coa.html |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=nj |language=en}} In 2018 and 2019 he coached the team's cornerbacks.
=Vanderbilt=
In 2020 he was the cornerback's coach for Vanderbilt.{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Michael |date=January 18, 2020 |title=Aaron Henry joining Vanderbilt's staff |url=https://247sports.com/college/north-carolina-state/Article/Aaron-Henry-NC-State-Wolfpack-Football-Vanderbilt-Commodores-142392849/ |access-date=2022-12-25 |work=247Sports |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2020-01-18 |title=TheWolfpackCentral - Another defensive coach leaving NC State football |url=https://ncstate.rivals.com/news/another-defensive-coach-leaving-nc-state-wolfpack-football?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMpd9yUKjZH0z-JWJ7ETVGrCD_bUd70bpFV8p-ONgUDf-RznulvYTVwRKiJ7CpTfCx7phjULmpWoD3RCKtY2-0l8XdSE94s9HElYfaMylI_opo9hkVBj2wwI23aIXtx7R_nofT8nH1msPTTYUgCVbNoZJPhcf12SeFpI3Vc90mfF |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=ncstate.rivals.com}}
=Illinois=
In 2021 he was reunited with Bielema serving as Illinois defensive backs coach.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-06 |title=Aaron Henry named FootballScoop Defensive Backs Coach of the Year |url=https://www.wcia.com/sports/aaron-henry-named-footballscoop-defensive-backs-coach-of-the-year/ |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=WCIA.com |language=en-US}} In 2023 he was promoted to the role of defensive coordinator.{{Cite web |last=Kimball |first=Anderson |date=December 17, 2022 |title=Aaron Henry promoted to be Illinois football's defensive coordinator |url=https://pantagraph.com/sports/college/illini/aaron-henry-promoted-to-be-illinois-footballs-defensive-coordinator/article_3f923ce2-7dbb-11ed-9f60-2b8fdd560323.html |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=pantagraph.com |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://fightingillini.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/aaron-henry/1473 Illinois profile]
{{Big Ten Conference defensive coordinator navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henry, Aaron}}
Category:American football defensive backs
Category:Arkansas Razorbacks football coaches
Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football coaches
Category:NC State Wolfpack football coaches
Category:Vanderbilt Commodores football coaches
Category:Wisconsin Badgers football players
Category:People from Immokalee, Florida