Hendricks: Born leader, true Javelina
Junior defensive end Demarcus Hendricks is the second captain of the Javelina football team and is one of the younger captains on the squad.
Hendricks is a redshirted junior who understands he is one of the younger captains and what that means to him and his team.
“I just know that I’m going to have to keep being a captain and a leader on and off the field even through my senior year. So, I just know this is how I have to be for the rest of my career,” Hendricks said.
Hendricks embodies and relishes the opportunity of being a leader because he’s always known from his family and since he was younger that he was destined for greatness.
“My parents have honestly been telling me my whole life, you’re a leader, not a follower. Since they’ve been telling me that, I’ve been trying to live by that because they believe it, and they have instilled it in me to where I should be believing it, and I believe it,” Hendricks said.
Hendricks backs up his leadership role with his stellar play on the defensive side of the ball which earned him Lone Star Conference (LSC) Player of the Week this past week.
With an accolade like that, Defensive Coordinator Jamison Bisch knows how important Hendricks’s play is to the team and how much the defense relies on him.
“I don’t think any one person is the make-or-break guy on a defense, because you have to really be cohesive and play together. But when you have the right pieces there and guys like Demarcus, it sure makes the defense a lot better because he’s been doing it for a long time,” Bisch said.
Hendricks is a key player on the 2024-2025 Javelina football team whether it’s his leadership or defensive skills, but his most vital role is anchoring the defensive line.
Defensive line coach Kapono Roy Asuega recognizes the talent Hendricks brings and sees how much work Hendricks puts into his game to be one of the best in the conference.
“The big thing that I’m really impressed about is him just buying into the process. He’s here where he’s at because he put the work in… It also shows that he was here in the summer in his work ethic. Everything has led to this point, and now he’s reaping the rewards,” Asuega said.
Asuega also sees Hendricks as someone who excels as a Javelina football player but also sees Hendricks as someone who loves and represents Javelina nation.
“He has had opportunities to transfer. He wants to be a part of this process. He believes in Coach Salinas’s vision, and it’s awesome. It’s really a testament to the culture that’s already been played here, the history of this place. He’s feeding off of it. He wants to be an All-American here. He wants to bring another national championship here,” Asuega said.
Hendricks being a junior bodes well for fans because TAMUK has one of the best defensive ends in the conference, as acknowledged by his recent award.
Be sure to look out for #1 this week at family weekend.