‘Smart, tough and together’: How Henry Hesson embodies Miami football

“Nice pass Hank.”

“Try that route again Hank.”

“Hank, good scramble.”

If you visit a Miami University football practice, you’ll hear the name “Hank” thrown around frequently. Head coach Chuck Martin, quarterbacks coach Gus Ragland and all the wide receivers will call out to a “Hank” on the team.

But there is no Hank on the football roster. The person they’re referring to is redshirt senior quarterback Henry Hesson.

“People call him Henry, people call him Hank,” Martin said. “I don’t even know when they started calling him Hank. His family doesn’t call him that. It comes from somebody, it wasn’t me.”

Hesson played as a backup on the team for the last five seasons. He didn’t expect to start in any game this year, but the departure of Dequan Finn last week puts Hesson as the first man under center for the remainder of the 2025 season.

Hesson grew up in Avon, Indiana, where his father was a high school football referee. He got involved with multiple sports, but once he played quarterback on his flag football team, he knew there was no going back.

As a three-year starter at Avon High School, Hesson threw for 6,336 yards and 70 touchdowns, 31 of which came as a senior. He received offers from other schools in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) like Eastern Michigan University, Ball State University and Central Michigan University, but his final decision was with the school that offered him last.

“Miami was the offer I wanted the most,” Hesson said. “I came here [my] sophomore year and fell in love with the place. It’s where I wanted to be, but I was a COVID kid, so we didn’t really get to go on recruiting visits or anything like that.”

Miami’s quarterback room at the time was highlighted by Brett Gabbert, who started all six years he was a RedHawk. Backup Aveon Smith proved to be an essential filler when Gabbert went down with an injury in 2023.

Hesson struggled to stand out in a stacked room, but Martin said his dedication to Miami football solidified his spot on the roster.

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“He’s one of many out there, but he is Miami football,” Martin said. “We always say, ‘Smart, tough and together.’ He’s smart, and he competes at a high level every day. And the together part, not just on offense, he’s always all-in on everything that we do. He’s always looking for ways to help other people in the locker room.”

In his first four years, Hesson appeared in nine games. His only start was in the Cure Bowl in 2023 after Smith entered the transfer portal. He also played the second quarter against Central Michigan last season, throwing his first collegiate touchdown.

“We weren’t worried about Hank going in at all,” redshirt junior receiver Kam Perry said. “Everybody has 150% confidence in Hank. We see him in practice every day. We know what he can do. He delivers the ball in practice, [and] he does on game days too.”

When Miami announced that transfer quarterback Dequan Finn would start for the RedHawks in 2025, Martin said he expected Hesson to transfer out. He had spent four years as a backup when he could have hit the portal and become a starter elsewhere.

Instead, he chose to return for his final year, even if it meant playing as a backup once again.

“I’m a competitor,” Hesson said. “I was in a sticky situation because I couldn’t transfer until after I graduated. I love it here. I found out my best friend, Brian Shane, my roommate, was coming back, so I decided to stay and compete. I want to be with these guys, and I’ve been around this team for five years.”

Hesson would earn his second career start in the game against Lindenwood University on Sept. 27. He took over for an injured Finn against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, throwing for 134 yards and one touchdown.

One week later as the starter, Hesson threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns, leading the RedHawks to a 38-0 win. However, Finn returned the next week against Northern Illinois University, and Hesson returned to the bench.

No one expected him to start again, least of all Hesson. However, when Finn was reported out of the game against Toledo on Nov. 12, Hesson found out he would start less than two days before kickoff.

Hesson underperformed, throwing for 147 yards and three interceptions. With two games remaining in the regular season, he recognized that he needs to play better if he wants to bring Miami to the MAC championship in December.

“Just showcasing who I can be,” Hesson said. “Last week, I was embarrassed about my performance and how I played. I know that’s not who I am. I know I’m a lot better than that. [I want] to get back out there and prove to the guys on this team and to the coaches and this community that I belong here and I can play.”

Even after the game against Toledo, Hesson’s teammates haven’t lost any faith in him. Perry firmly believes that he can lead the team through the final two games of the year.

“I think we were good,” Perry said. “This team, we’re really about the ‘next man up’ mentality. Hank already knew he was the next man up. We believe in Hank, and Hank believes in himself. Everybody was gravitating behind [him], and he’s going to lead us to a MAC championship.”

babukc2@miamioh.edu

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