Incarnate Word Becomes First Division I School To Offer Henderson’s La’Kendrick Vanzandt

Incarnate Word continued slashing through East Texas on Thursday and added a fifth local player to its big board in a two-day span.

Henderson running back La'Kendrick Vanzandt, a current junior, is the latest Cardinals target. Vanzandt announced the news through his personal Twitter account.

In addition to Vanzandt (6-1, 196), the Cardinals have offers out for Gilmer receiver LaMarcus Morton, John Tyler quarterback Bryson Smith, John Tyler defensive back Javontavius Mosley and Texas High quarterback Cade Pearson.

Vanzandt currently holds one other offer from Northeastern State University, a Division II program in Oklahoma.

Incarnate Word, located in San Antonio, introduced its football program in 2009 and competed at the Division II level through 2012. In 2013, the Cardinals made the jump to Division I FCS and competed as an independent. Incarnate Word started its membership in the Southland Conference in 2014.

The Cardinals posted a 6-5 record last season. It was their first winning record in the Southland Conference.

Larry Keenan will be back in San Antonio for a fifth season this fall. He has a wide array of experience, including serving as Lamar's head coach between 1979 and 1981.

Keenan spent time as an assistant coach on the collegiate level with Colorado, UNLV and SMU. He also held professional football coaching positions with the Raiders, Broncos, Colts, Seahawks and Patriots franchises from 1982 through 1997 before changing careers and becoming executive director of the NFL Coaches Association.

Incarnate Word ended Keenan's time away from the sidelines.

Vanzandt helped Henderson to a 7-3 finish in 2015, but his squad missed the playoffs due to the combination of games it lost within District 9-4A Division I. However, Henderson closed the year with a bang by defeating a Kilgore team that had already clinched the league championship.

Vanzandt, like all high school football prospects currently in their junior year, will become eligible to sign with any school that offers him in February.