Haven’t felt the need to chime in on the rumors surrounding safety Ray-Ray Armstrong and offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson this past week as there didn’t seem to be any real scoop, per se. It was a story based on Internet rumors, speculation and some he said, she said stuff … and for the most part, still is as UM hasn’t said anything officially.
Yesterday the Herald’s Barry Jackson touched on the story at the end of a quality column on the incoming freshman class and in regards to Armstrong and Henderson, stated the following:
– According to Albert Armstrong, father of Ray-Ray, he was told his son “is definitely” going to be on the team this season and that “he’s not turning pro”. The elder Armstrong also mentioned that his son has not mentioned the suspension to him, something UM won’t confirm or deny as staff has strict orders to not discuss.
– Henderson has personally disputed Internet speculation, stating that he’s not suspended nor is he in trouble. He arrived one day late to start the second summer session, which set this story in motion last week.
Miami head coach Al Golden is on vacation and with UM not going on offense with the story, it’s truly hard to predict truth from fiction.
Based on the offenses, Henderson’s day-late return to campus versus Armstrong again taking to Twitter to discuss something he shouldn’t (re: booster talk), you can understand why the offensive tackle has emphatically stated he is returning, while the senior safety’s situation is a little more murky, leaving dad as the mouthpiece while son remains silent.
Brian ‘The Beast’ London mentioned several scenarios in his CanesFix podcast last week, one of which could be a non-story; something internal where Golden told these guys what they need to do between now and fall ball to earn a spot back on the team, which would solidify the ‘no story’ when the media can finally talk to Golden and the players in a few weeks.
Of course it’s also just as plausible that one, or both of these guys are gone before kickoff as both fall into that ‘repeat offender’ category regarding some boneheaded moves over the past few years.
Coaches have spoken out about Henderson having world-class talent, but there being maturity issues, which showing up a day late to practice falls into. As for Armstrong, he was praised by the coaching staff for his off-season efforts in the weight room and on the conditioning front. All signs were pointing towards a renewed attitude entering his senior year, until the Twitter bug bit again.
Strictly based on Jackson’s article, it sounds as if the Henderson case is a bit more cut and dry while Armstrong’s might require working to get out of the doghouse. His Twitter account, @boom_king26 hasn’t seen a new post since June 24th and one would thing that not discussing life in 140 characters or less would be a stipulation towards working his way back into the fold.
Kickoff is just under two months away, so let’s hope this is settled sooner than later, regardless of outcome. Also, make sure to check out the rest of the Herald piece as the scoop on the incoming freshman was informative.