WIS-TV’s Henry closes the TD Club | Tech Reddy

WIS-TV sports director Rick Henry shares his thoughts on high school and college football seasons.

“I’m glad we’re getting to this side of the pandemic where we can get together again,” Henry said. “The 2020 football season looks like the Twilight Zone. That season, I only went to the college football game (South Carolina’s victory over Auburn). It was strange.”

Henry said this season he is making up for lost time with trips to South Carolina, Clemson, Benedict, Kentucky and South Carolina State.

“Buddy, the last three SC State games I’ve been to, the Bulldogs have won including the Celebration Bowl,” Henry joked with SC State head coach Buddy Pough. “I am available for NIL sales.”

Henry talked about South Carolina and their game this weekend against Tennessee.

“If the Gamecocks don’t play better than Florida, it could be a long day,” Henry said.

Henry also shared a story about current Tennessee receiver Jalin Hyatt, a former receiver at Dutch High School in Irmo.

“A lot of people have been talking about Jalin Hyatt, who is having an incredible year,” Henry said. They asked how South Carolina and Clemson missed him.

Henry said the first person who introduced him to Hyatt’s talent was his wife Perrene.

“My wife works at Dutch Fork High School, and she’s good friends with Jalin’s mom,” Henry said. “He said that I will cover his son soon. I heard this several times from friends, parents and relatives, and from others, it was not good at all.”

During Jalin’s sophomore year, Henry said he attended a game at Dutch Fork. He watched the quarterback loft the ball deep into double coverage.

“I thought that wasn’t a good move, but the receiver jumps and catches it,” Henry said. “The PA announcer said ‘click on Jalin Hyatt’ and I realized he was very good. In his senior year, he caught three passes in the state championship game including the game-winner in overtime. “

Although Will Muschamp was the coach at South Carolina when Hyatt was hired, Henry said he expects the receiver to want to prove something against Saturday’s school if given the opportunity.

The Orangeburg Moral Society also spoke at the last meeting of the year. As of 2019, the team has honored a high school football player with the Willie Jeffries Character Award.

The annual award recognizes an outstanding high school football athlete from an area who demonstrates outstanding performance and character on and off the field.

This year’s recipient was Navian Hilliard of Lake Marion. The senior quarterback was presented with the trophy from SC State head coach Willie Jeffries.

The club also recognized its Defensive and Defensive Players of the Week sponsored by The Works Physical Therapy. The winners this week, on offense were Holly Hill Academy’s Tyler Wright and on defense was Denmark-Olar’s William Conelly Jr.