Oh, Henry: Bainivalu Fits Right in with O-Line Attitude and Size
Henry Bainivalu is not the biggest University of Washington offensive lineman on the most gigantic line in school history.
He's shorter than Jaxson Kirkland, lighter than Ulumoo Ale.
Ah, but Bainivalu fits right in with all of these guys.
Not only does he sport the biggest hair of the bunch, Henry brings the perfect attitude to the starting right guard spot.
"We want to run the rock," Bainivalu said. "Coach Huff puts a huge emphasis on that daily. He brings good energy to the main room and it's infectious. It spreads to all of us. We want to run the ball and be a tough team. I know we're a tough team."
As the Huskies (3-0) prepare for Saturday's game against Stanford (1-2), the UW's average starting O-lineman stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 324 pounds.
Bainivalu checks in way above the curve, at 6-6 and 335.
Size matters, except for these five first-unit blockers, who take it all for granted.
"Practically with all of us being big, you get used to it because you're around big players every day," Bainivalu said. "You're going through the same drills together. You're working together day in and day out. I think it sort of slips my mind because we're so big in the first place."
Yet it's an eye-opener for others when they see these Monsters of Montlake break from the huddle. The ground shakes beneath them. The artificial turf tilts in their favor.
Behind these guys, the Huskies average nearly 200 yards rushing per game, just shy of 5 yards per carry.
The line has given up no sacks in three tries, with quarterback Dylan Morris stepping out of bounds on his own once.
"I love everything we've been doing recently — imposing our will and pounding the rock," Bainivalu said. "As offensive linemen, you want the defensive lineman across from you to know it's going to be a long game against me and my brothers."
Follow Dan Raley of Husky Maven on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @HuskyMaven
Find Husky Maven on Facebook by searching: HuskyMaven/Sports Illustrated
Click the "follow" button in the top right corner to join the conversation on Husky Maven. Access and comment on featured stories and start your own conversations and post external links on our community page.
