Recruiting Wrap

Next chapter for Trulon Henry

Posted by: Jeremy Werner

Tuesday, November 24, 2009 8:26 AM

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When Arrelious Benn arrived at the University of Illinois in January 2007, his oldest brother, Trulon Henry, was sitting in a Glenville, W.V., prison cell serving an almost five-year sentence for armed robbery.

But this January, Henry could be joining his younger brother's football family. The 25-year-old College of DuPage defensive back received a scholarship offer from Illinois last week.

"It's a little reward," Henry said. "But it's not the end. It's another chapter. One chapter closes, and you open another one. It felt like all of my work is finally paying off a little bit for me."

Henry said there is a "90 percent chance" that he commits to Illinois given his familiarity - he visits Champaign "at least once a month" to see his younger brother - with the program and coaches. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound safety, who is earning his associate's degree in three semesters, plans on enrolling at a university in January.

Earning his first Division I offer represents Henry's metamorphosis since robbing a grocery store at gunpoint in 2003. Benn was a freshman at Dunbar High School in Washington D.C. Henry served almost five years in prison before being released on a date he will never forget: April 28, 2008.

"(Prison is) an emotional strain," Henry said. "It's unhappy people. There's just misery in the air. It's death-like. It's no place you want to be in. I just couldn't wait to get out of there, man."

A childhood friend who was a high school assistant in Washington D.C. put in calls to junior college coaches to vouch for the recently emancipated Henry, who had recruiting interest from East Carolina, Kent State and others while attending prep school.

No one wanted to give the ex-felon a chance, until College of DuPage head coach Fred Fimbres inquired to hear more.

After chatting on the phone with Henry multiple times and meeting him in person, Fimbres was sold - but not completely. The two had a heart-to-heart in which they were "very straight-forward with one another."

"I told him, 'It's not like you're a guy with a bunch of speeding tickets,'" Fimbres said. "I said, 'As long as you understand that at any point in time I could just walk up and tell you you gotta go ... we will absolutely give you a chance to play on our football team.'"

Fimbres hasn't second-guessed his decision ever since. Henry not only stayed out of trouble and excelled on the field but even has become a role model for his teammates.

"He sort of took over the team and became a leader without anyone even asking him to," Fimbres said.

"Considering his history, we're very excited that he was in our program. We're really proud of what he has become. He's done all the things that he's needed to do to put himself in the position he's in now."

Illinois is recruiting Henry as a safety, but the College of DuPage sophomore said they have talked about moving him to linebacker as a back-up plan.

Fimbres said he and his staff "want (Henry) to go to Illinois" because of the campus' proximity to the College of DuPage campus and the Illinois staff's familiarity with Henry.

"I think they have had an eye and watched his progress since he's gone here because of his brother," Fimbres said. "Although, no part of his interest is tied into his brother. They are interested in him because he's a good football player."

Henry has had to shoo away doubters on his reinvigorated quest to play Division I football. He said there were times that he thought about giving up but that Benn's early success at Illinois gave him more motivation."

"Growing up in the same house you see him do things that you've been doing all your life, you think, 'I can do it too,'" Henry said.

Henry said he will make a college decision in mid-December. Other BCS schools, including Kansas Sate and Arizona, have shown high interest as well.

But with an offer from Illinois in hand, one thing is for certain: Henry has come a long way in less than two years of freedom.

"Some people would have gave up a long time ago, let's put it that way," Henry said. "This is why you stick it through. The reward at the end is the reason why you don't give up."

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