COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson said this spring that he’s feeling like himself for the first time since Sept. 17, 2022.

That’s when Henderson suffered a foot injury in a game against Toledo that ultimately derailed what was supposed to be a monster sophomore season.

“After that, I never felt like myself again,” he said. “I’m just finally able to feel like myself again, get that confidence back and get going again.”

That lack of confidence stemmed from his broken foot, or more accurately, a fractured sesamoid bone, which he described as the part of the foot used to push off when running.

“Every time I was trying to push off, I was basically refracturing my bone, and then I tore some ligaments and tendons, so my foot was basically beat up all last season,” Henderson said. “Sometimes, I’d be hopping around, or it would take me a while to really hit the hole, and that’s just because I knew if I would plant my foot, I would basically refracture that bone.”

The same player who broke Maurice Clarrett’s freshman touchdown record felt like a broken player for most of the 2022 season, rushing for 677 yards and nine touchdowns fewer than his freshman year.

“It was tough just going into games. I was barely practicing all last season going up into the games and then not going into the games confident, wondering, ‘Will I be able to just cut again, will I be able to be full speed again, will I be able to just be myself?'” he said. “I feel like that affected me a lot mentally.”

Henderson got through the negative thoughts with the help of his teammates and running backs coach Tony Alford.

“There were some hard lessons learned for him as a young man, dealing with adverse situations and how to deal with them, the good and the bad,” Alford said. “There’s also some things he could do emotionally and mentally that will help keep him at ease … so we went through it. We are where we are, and we’ll put that behind us and here we go.”

Moving forward, Alford must decide which running backs get playing time. Not an easy decision to make considering the depth of the room. Along with Henderson, OSU also returns Miyan Williams, who stepped up in Henderson’s absence; Dallan Hayden, who flashed when both backs were out; linebacker-turned-running back Chip Trayanum, and Evan Pryor, who suffered a torn tore his ACL last spring.

“We definitely have a lot of options … and I love it. I love competition, man,” Henderson said. “Shoot, it don’t phase me at all. I tell coach Alford, you know I don’t care who he brings in. I want him to bring in the best competition because that’s not going to do nothing but bring out the best in everyone else, so the competition is never a thing for me.”

The Buckeyes are keeping Henderson out of team drills this spring as a precaution, but Henderson is fully confident in his health and ability.

“I feel great. I feel like I’m back to myself. … I feel like I’m back to 100%,” he said. “I’m running full speed, I’m cutting, so I’m feeling great now.”