Michigan State University Athletics
Xavier Henderson makes a leaping one-handed interception against Youngstown State on Sept. 11.
Captain Xavier Henderson Returning for Fifth Season With Spartans
1/7/2022 8:39:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Safety Xavier Henderson, who was named a captain for the 2021 season and has started 33 consecutive games, announced on Thursday afternoon he will be returning for a fifth year at Michigan State in 2022.
A four-year letterwinner (2018-21), Henderson leads all active Spartans with 235 tackles, which ranks No. 43 in school history. He also has 12.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three pass break-ups and two forced fumbles in 46 career games.
Henderson, who was named a game captain for all 13 games this season and helped lead MSU to an 11-2 record and a New Year's Six bowl win over No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, was a third-team All-Big Ten selection by the media after tying for the team lead with a career-high 96 tackles, including a career-best 10 tackles for loss and three sacks. His 96 stops ranked tied for 11th most in the Big Ten. Henderson recorded a TFL in nine games with a career-high two in the season opener at Northwestern. He also had a career-high 17 tackles vs. Nebraska, the most by a Spartan since 2016.
The Reynoldsburg, Ohio, native tallied 41 stops during his third season at MSU in a shortened seven-game schedule in 2020 and ranked second on the team with 83 tackles as a sophomore in 2019, including two interceptions and five pass break-ups. As a true freshman in 2018, he primarily played on special teams, collecting 15 tackles.
Michigan State is scheduled to open the 2022 season against Western Michigan on Sept. 3 in Spartan Stadium.
A four-year letterwinner (2018-21), Henderson leads all active Spartans with 235 tackles, which ranks No. 43 in school history. He also has 12.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three pass break-ups and two forced fumbles in 46 career games.
Henderson, who was named a game captain for all 13 games this season and helped lead MSU to an 11-2 record and a New Year's Six bowl win over No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, was a third-team All-Big Ten selection by the media after tying for the team lead with a career-high 96 tackles, including a career-best 10 tackles for loss and three sacks. His 96 stops ranked tied for 11th most in the Big Ten. Henderson recorded a TFL in nine games with a career-high two in the season opener at Northwestern. He also had a career-high 17 tackles vs. Nebraska, the most by a Spartan since 2016.
The Reynoldsburg, Ohio, native tallied 41 stops during his third season at MSU in a shortened seven-game schedule in 2020 and ranked second on the team with 83 tackles as a sophomore in 2019, including two interceptions and five pass break-ups. As a true freshman in 2018, he primarily played on special teams, collecting 15 tackles.
Michigan State is scheduled to open the 2022 season against Western Michigan on Sept. 3 in Spartan Stadium.
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