MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Around age 6, Dravon Askew became Dravon Henry to honor the step-father who stepped in and taught him so much.
As a sophomore free safety at West Virginia, the name on back of his No. 6 jersey will read Askew-Henry, a reminder how much he loves Mom, too.
“I really wanted to represent both their names,” Kid Hypen explained Tuesday, “and, yeah, she was pretty excited.”
His coaches are pretty excited over what Askew-Henry can produce in Year 2, considering how he surfaced on freshman All-America teams despite being uncertain about his responsibilities many weeks.
“There was a lot of times where he was lost a year ago,” said Mountaineers boss Dana Holgorsen. “Even in games, he was lost. He wasn’t as physical, and he wasn’t triggering the right way.”
Upon rewinding his 2014 season—a debut in which, it should be noted, the “lost” guy started all 13 games—Askew-Henry doesn’t celebrate the opening-night wallop he delivered to Alabama’s DeAndrew White (separating the receiver’s shoulder) or the pick-six at Oklahoma State (which broke open a 34-10 win). Nor is he puffed up about playing 965 snaps without an overt coverage bust. (Seriously, wasn’t getting fooled supposed to be a rite of freshman passage?)
From all those self-affirming moments that typically leave a player feeling satisfied, what catches his eye instead? Too much timidity, too few high-impact plays.
“There’s a couple plays in every game where I was a step slow or I missed a tackle or I didn’t do something I should’ve been able to do,” Askew-Henry said. “Every time I watch film I see them.
“I was thrown in the fire and I think I held my ground, but I wasn’t comfortable with myself. I didn’t really know the system. I was just going off my athletic skills.”
That was familiar territory for cornerback Daryl Worley, who started five games himself as a true freshman the year preceding Askew-Henry’s arrival. Working from the perspective that “all true freshmen are lost,” Worley recognized the safety’s uneasiness with facing something new from an opponent every week.
His scouting report on what kept Askew-Henry functional: A blend of maturity, composure and brains atypical for first-year college players. From the time the freshman was crowned a starter the week preceding the Alabama game, Worley emphasized he never fretted about Askew-Henry being out of position or requiring extra attention.
“We trusted each other,” he said. “I knew Gibby was going to put the best 11 on the field.”
Defensive coordinator Tony Gibson, who spearheaded the recruiting effort to land Askew-Henry out of Aliquippa, Pa., may someday regard the signing as one that restored West Virginia’s defense to its yesteryear dignity.
“I can do what I need to do now,” said Askew-Henry, claiming he better understands pursuit angles and subtle gestures for disguising coverages. “I can make plays.”
While Mom deserves credit for shaping Askew-Henry, his step-dad Roland Henry definitely pitched in on the football side.
“He put the ball in my hands, and showed me how to be a man,” the player said. “My real dad pretty much was never in my life. He was around some, but when my new dad made it official, I realized he was my dad.
“He broke everything down in life for me, so me and him have got a strong connection.”