In today’s pass-happy football world, Jerry Hendren’s statistics would be remarkable.
A wide receiver catching 86 or 95 passes, amassing 1,400 receiving yards, and more than 10 touchdowns are fantastic numbers for a collegiate, worthy of All-America honors.
In the 1960s those types of numbers were uncommon. That’s what makes Jerry Hendren’s career at the University of Idaho so historic, and it’s why he was voted 42nd on the Big Sky Conference’s list of “50 Greatest Male Athletes.’’
You could call Hendren the Don Hutson of the Big Sky Conference. Hutson, a star receiver for the Green Bay Packers from 1935-45, set NFL receiving records that stood for decades. Like Hutson, Hendren was a trailblazer.
“That’s a heck of a comparison,’’ said Hendren, who is now retired in Mead, Wash., after a long career in law enforcement. “He was one of the great ones, no doubt about it. I’ve paid for it. I’ll tell you right now. I’m looking at possible neck surgery. I’ve got quite a bit of arthritis throughout my body. I have bone spurs in my neck. I had the snot beat out of me. But I don’t regret a bit of it. If I knew what was going to happen to me at that time, I’d do it all again. I loved it.’’
As a senior in 1969, Hendren caught 95 passes, which led the NCAA and still ranks third in Big Sky single-season history. Hendren led the league in average catches per game in 1967 and 1968. He caught am amazing 230 passes in just 30 career games. His 230 catches ranks fifth in Big Sky history. Every player above him played at least 12 more games. In that era, freshman were not allowed to play on the varsity team. He was All-Big Sky in 1968 and 1969.
Many of his Idaho school records still stand to this day.
“I wasn’t real fast,’’ Hendren said. “In fact, I’m probably as fast now as I was then. But I could get off the line and get off my cuts and catch the ball regardless of where it was at. I faced double and triple coverage most of my senior year. But I worked hard. I caught at least 50 balls a day throughout the summer. If I had no one else to throw it to me, I’d throw it up and catch it myself.’’
Hendren grew up in Spokane, Wash., and was a standout prep wide receiver. In his first season at Idaho in 1967, he caught 49 passes for 526 yards. A coaching change, however, soon followed and Hendren flourished.
YC McNease took over the Vandal program in 1968. McNease had been an assistant at Michigan, but had roots in the South, where passing was more common.
In 1968, Hendren caught 86 passes for 1,457 yards and 14 touchdowns.
“McNease came from southern football,’’ Hendren said. “He brought in the Bobby Dodd passing game that was from west Texas and south Texas. It was a pro-style offense, which is obviously different today. We became probably the most prolific passing team on the West Coast at the time.’’
One of Hendren’s most memorable efforts came as a senior in 1969 when he caught 17 passes for 238 yards and four touchdowns in a 31-21 victory at Southern Mississippi. No player in Idaho history has hauled in more passes in a game to date. Only three players in Big Sky history have surpassed that number.
“I lost 15 pounds that game,’’ he remembered. “It was 90 degrees. We played at 7 p.m., and the humidity was 98. It was heat I had never experienced in my life. You could see the air it was so thick. We played a heck of a game. I never ran so many pass routes in my life.’’
Hendren was a student of the game. He studied film, looking for tendencies from the defensive backs he’d face. He spent countless hours working with his quarterbacks on timing. His favorite route wasn’t a long post, or a fade, but a simple 5-yard out.
“The ball would be in the air before I’d make my break,’’ he said. “I’d look back and catch the ball. I had the ability to give a bit of a limp leg, kick out of a tackle and keep going. I’d make a lot of yards on a 5-yard out.’’
Hendren’s huge senior season of 95 catches, 1,455 yards and 12 touchdowns garnered substantial attention and loads of accolades. He was selected to the All-America team. The city of Moscow, Idaho, held a “Jerry Hendren Day” where he was presented with a key to the city.
After the season, Hendren played in five Collegiate All-Star games, including the Shrine Bowl, the Senior Bowl, and the All-American Bowl.
“Those were some of the best days of my life,’’ he said. “In all of those five games I had the same quarterbacks, and we set some records around the country. I was able to play with some of the finest and most talented players in the nation.’’
Hendren was selected in the fourth round of the 1970 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. After suffering injuries to both shoulders, he decided to end his football career, and try coaching. He spent one season as a graduate assistant at Idaho, before looking toward the prep ranks.
“I wanted to start in high school and teach kids,’’ he said. “It’s hard to teach college kids, and you can’t teach the pros because of egos. I wanted to take these youngsters and teach them how to be a good quarterback, running back or wide receiver. I wanted to teach.’’
After a brief stint in coaching, Hendren began a long and distinguished career in the Sheriff’s department. Hendren spent 11 years on patrol, seven as an undercover officer, and the final 11 investigating physically and sexually abused children.
Hendren has been inducted in the Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame, as well as the Inland Northwest Hall of Fame.
“This is quite an honor,’’ Hendren said of being selected as one of the “50 Greatest Men’s Athletes.’’ “I’m a little bit surprised. It’s been a helluva lot of years since I’ve played. I’m very thrilled. I enjoyed my time so much not only in the conference, but at the University of Idaho. It got me an education.’’
