 
Henry Melton: Starting at end
Sept. 28, 2008
Jonathan Mann, Texas Media Relations Looking for an open receiver downfield late in the first half, Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick escaped the pocket to his left in an attempt to buy more time for his search. The Razorback signal caller knew nothing about surging defensive end Henry Melton bearing down on him from the backside. The result was a sack and a fumble, which led to another touchdown by the Texas offense and put the score at 31-3 heading into halftime. The play left no doubt about who possessed momentum as the Horns went on to a 52-10 victory, their third such win of the season. "I was just trying to beat my guy that whole game, just waiting for my chance," Melton said. "We have drills like that every day in practice where you have to chase from the backside. I just tried to get to him and make a play." The senior defensive end from Grapevine finished the game with two tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry, and served as a major factor in a defensive front that wreaked havoc throughout the game. "We're just working together as a unit," said fellow senior defensive end Brian Orakpo, who notched two sacks and a forced fumble of his own Saturday. "The camaraderie and chemistry that we have on the defensive line has really helped us blossom together." For Melton, the road to solidifying a starting position has been a winding one. He was a star running back at high school, earning All-USA honors from USA Today in his senior season. Melton continued playing the position upon arriving to the 40 Acres. He saw significant action during his true freshman season as he helped the team win a National Championship. The following year, he notched his first career start at running back as a sophomore against Sam Houston State.
That same year, however, Melton began to record snaps at defensive end. In 2007, he played exclusively on defense, and this season, has locked himself in to a starting role. "Coach [Oscar] Giles, when he brought me over, said I could be whatever I wanted to be at this position," Melton said of his transition. "He said I could be great or I could be average, so I've just tried to work at it." "Switching from the position that you truly love is very hard at first," Orakpo said. "Henry made a huge transition, and he's been working very hard to be the best he can at defensive end. It's a great story because this guy started off rough at (defensive) end and didn't really have the same technique that everybody else had. But he really improved each and every day, and look at him now." Even though Melton's offensive days are behind him, his experience as a running back is still paying dividends at his new position. His greatest strengths are his speed and "ball get-off," or BGO. "People think you just go out there and come off the ball, but you have to have a knack for it," said defensive ends coach Oscar Giles. "When you rush the passer, that's half the battle. If you can beat the guy off the ball, you have an advantage." "His BGO is the number one thing about him," Orakpo echoed. "This guy has phenomenal speed off the ball. That's a huge asset that he has is keying the ball, knowing to time it right and jumping the snap to where he can really get in the face of the quarterback." The switch to defense hasn't been seamless, but Melton's open mind and willing attitude have been crucial to the success he has achieved so far. "People think the transition from running back to defensive end is really easy, but it's tough," Coach Giles said. "It's still a work in progress, but he's doing everything we ask him to do. He's taken on an attitude of getting back up when he gets knocked down. I like those types of guys who want to help our team, and he'll do anything he can to do it." Off the field, Melton possesses a light-hearted demeanor, according to Orakpo. "Henry is a really goofy guy," he said of the 6-foot-3, 260-pound senior. "This guy is always joking around. Sometimes we tend to get too serious and Henry kind of lightens the mood up a little bit. But when it's time to work, it's time to work." During Saturday's win, the fumble forced by Melton late in the first half was important not only for the possession turnover and field position, but also the time frame in which it occurred. "The last five minutes of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half are things that we stress," Coach Giles said of the situation. "It was a big play for us. He was just relentless as far as rushing the passer goes." "I looked up and all I saw was Henry just humming down the field," Orakpo said. "He was running the fastest I've ever seen him run. To get that huge sack and turnover, it was a big momentum swing for us and we needed that." |
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