Bowled Over on Signing Day, Seantrel Henderson Picks USC

NEW YORK -- The name appeared on the screen of the cell phone: LANE KIFFIN.

The USC coach was just one of many blowing up the phone, via calls and text, of Sean Henderson at the CBS College Sports Network studios at Chelsea Piers on National Signing Day. Henderson, the father of the nation's top-rated recruit, offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson, listened.

"You're nervous?" Henderson replied to Kiffin's greeting. "I'm nervous!"

Seantrel Henderson is a 6-foot-8, 330-pound offensive tackle who, in the tradition of the Lakers, is relocating from the Twin Cities to Los Angeles. At the time Kiffin phoned, about two hours prior to the announcement that Henderson made on CBS College Sports Television, the Hendersons were trying on bowling shoes (Size 15 for Seantrel). Sean, Seantrel, mom Bree Jasper and Seantrel's girlfriend of four years, Sheri Houston, were killing time at Club 300, a bowling alley.

As it turned out Kiffin had no reason to worry. "I made my decision about 9 o'clock last night," Seantrel would say later. "There's just so much to do in Los Angeles. And I really like Coach Kiffin. He's one of the youngest coaches out there. And he's a very down-to-earth guy."

As the Hendersons and three reporters -- myself, Thayer Evans of the New York Times and Kevin Armstrong of SI.com -- took turns downing pins, coaches and fans at Florida, Miami, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC hoped that Seantrel would someday go bowling with them. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported on their Web site that Henderson was headed to Miami. All wishful thinking.

USC, which signed six offensive players alone in the top 50 of ESPN's 150, is more than happy to welcome Henderson, whom analyst Tom Lemming says has the potential to be the best offensive lineman at USC since Anthony Munoz. Which is to say, one of the best offensive linemen ever.

Meanwhile, the Hendersons bowled. It was an afternoon of lanes and Lane. When Sean rolled a spare and then a strike on his final two balls, he exploded with a whup and proclaimed to the otherwise empty bowling alley, "Man, that's how you win! That was gangsta!"

Seantrel, who trailed this reporter the entire game, out-rolled me on the 10th frame to secure the win. As we exchanged high-fives afterward, SI.com's Armstrong noted that it was like seeing a bear shake hands with a cat.

The Henderson clan plans to relocate en masse to Southern California. To leave the land of seasonal affect disorder (or, S.A.D.) for the palm trees and stars of L.A. "Hollywood is only 11 minutes away," says Seantrel, blissfully unaccustomed to (and unaware of) L.A. traffic. "And it's gonna be 75 degrees every day. I'm never going to wear sweat pants again. And I've never been to the ocean. I mean, we have little beaches where I'm from, but those are just lakes."

Henderson said that the departure of Pete Carroll in January did give him pause at first. "I was in San Antonio (for the Army All-American Bowl) and all the USC-bound players were crushed. I felt it, too. And I wasn't even committed."

Kiffin and Ed Orgeron worked their magic again, though, as the new USC coaching staff ventured up to St. Paul to ensure that Henderson realized how important he was to them. "Coach Kiffin was more like a friend than a coach when he visited," said Henderson. "And Coach Orgeron, he's gonna kill me for saying this, but he was telling me about being on the set of 'The Blind Side.' How hot Sandra Bullock was. When she hugged him at the end of the shoot, he said he just held onto her."

As for Henderson, he was always the biggest fish in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. He's about to become one of the biggest stars in a town that worships them.