By Andy Walter

NEWARK — Ryan Carty can boil down the things he liked about Nolan Henderson as a Smyrna High quarterback to three things.

“Accuracy, toughness and athleticism,” Carty recalled. “That’s pretty much what I look for in quarterbacks, and he had all three.”

That was six years ago, when Carty was a New Hampshire assistant coach who gave Henderson his first scholarship offer.

With Carty now in his first season as Delaware’s head football coach, the two ended up together after all.

After a week of spring practice, Carty says the veteran QB has grown into the player he thought he could be. The fact that Henderson has been able to add weight and muscle to his 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame has completed the picture.

“The only thing he didn’t have at the time (in high school) was weight,” said Carty. “He was very, very slight and we were a little concerned about it. But he’s put it on better than I thought he could.

“I didn’t know that he had the frame to weigh as much as he does now. I’m happy about that.”

Keeping Henderson injury-free and on the field has been a major issue throughout his college career.

Considered one of the top quarterbacks in the CAA, he’s now in his sixth season in Newark after a redshirt season coming out of Smyrna and then the COVID pandemic exemption year.

Last fall, Henderson missed the last seven contests of the 11-game season after undergoing abdominal surgery.

So even though he’s healthy right now, Henderson said he’s always thinking of ways to prepare himself physically for the season.

“It starts now really,” said Henderson. “However I want my body to feel in the fall, I’m going to have to start doing it now. Nutrition has been a big thing for me this off-season as well — kind of changing up my diet and changing up the supplements I’m using. There’s more flexibility stuff, more ice baths — just spending more time in the training room.

“I think a lot of the guys are doing more of it this year — just knowing that it’s a long season and you’ve got to be there for your team.”

The Blue Hens are learning a whole new offensive system under Carty and his staff. This early in the spring, it’s still a work in progress.

Henderson said it’s an offense that will take “more calculated chances.” He knows he and the other quarterbacks have the most responsibility of being on top of the new system.

“We have to have a higher-level of understanding than any other position on the field,” said Henderson. “Just coming out there every day. ... if a guy has a question, it’s your responsibility to answer that question correctly. If you tell him the wrong thing, he’s going to lose trust in you.”

Carty has a lot of trust in Henderson after their first few months of working together.

He said the QB is as diligent as anyone in taking notes, asking questions and watching extra film.

“The amount of stuff that he’s done on a voluntary basis has been extraordinary,” said Carty. “He is everything you want in a starting quarterback.”

At the end of the day, though, Carty knows none of that knowledge will matter if they don’t keep Henderson on the field.

“That’s all I think about, is how to keep quarterbacks upright,” joked Carty, a former QB himself. “That’s pretty much it, right? That’s football — can you keep the best player on your team healthy? That’s kind of charge as offensive coaches.”

Worrilow imparting knowledge
One of the Hens’ new staff members is former Blue Hen linebacker Paul Worrilow, who spent eight seasons in the NFL. He’s a volunteer coach for the Hens.

Linebacker Anthony Torro said it’s been great having someone with that experience around.

“He brings a new perspective to certain things,” said Torro. “Just yesterday he was telling me ... when to expect the ball because this is what the quarterback is taught.

“He’s bringing new ideas, new vision, new perspective to things that are allowing us to up our game.”

Extra points

Carty said he likes what he’s seen from lineman Fintan Brose, who’s moved from defense to offense this spring. ... Delaware has had a second assistant coach take a new job. Defensive line coach Siddiq Haynes, the former Blue Hen player, has returned to the staff at Texas-San Antonio.

Follow Andy Walter on Twitter at @DSNSports