Friday, January 5
Henson aims at championship, Heisman



ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan quarterback Drew Henson disdained possible lucrative pro contracts and said Friday that he will return for his senior season.

Henson could've made millions playing in the NFL next season or millions if he chose to be a full-time professional baseball player.

But he chose to continue playing football in college and baseball in the Cincinnati Reds' minor-league organization.

"I feel another year in college will get me closer to my degree and help further my development as a quarterback," Henson said in a press release.

This season, Henson completed 61.6 percent of his passes for 2,146 yards with 18 touchdowns and only four interceptions, despite missing the first 3½ games with a broken foot. He was 15-of-20 for 294 yards with two touchdowns in Michigan's 31-28 win over Auburn in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Day.

A few days before the game, Henson said he would seriously consider all of his options after the season.

He could've entered the NFL draft and likely would've been a first-round pick, perhaps even a high choice.

He could've chosen to devote all his time to baseball and found out if he was talented enough to play third base for the Reds.

Henson knew he couldn't lose.

"I'm in a great situation," Henson said last week. "Regardless of what I pick, I'm going to be successful and I'm going to enjoy what I'm doing. It's giving up one of the sports that's difficult, but I've known that day was coming for a long time."

After high school, Henson was drafted by the New York Yankees and given a $2 million bonus.

The Yankees traded Henson to the Reds last summer when he decided to return to Michigan to start at quarterback, after backing up Tom Brady for two years.

Henson said he still has goals yet to achieve at Michigan. Those include winning a national championship and the Heisman Trophy.








ESPN.com: HELP | ADVERTISER INFO | CONTACT US | TOOLS | SITE MAP
Copyright ©2000 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and
Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Click here for a list of employment opportunities at ESPN.com.