For Parker Henry, starring at Pac-12 Media Days with Gabe Marks and coach Mike Leach was a testament to all that he's accomplished in his Cougar career. Rewind the redshirt senior's journey five years, and he was just a Division-I walk-on hoping to make a mark on a rebuilding team.

"It seemed like when I first got here, it was a bunch of individuals on the team," Henry said. "But, right now it feels like one big family."
 
At the start, Henry was one of those "individuals." An individual hoping to make his mark and unite a defense. Living the life of a typical walk-on, not many knew his name, and his credit was earned steadily through hard work and focus.
 
"Being a walk-on, you've just got to take it day-by-day, and you know, you don't really get the opportunities when you first get here, in terms of reps and stuff," Henry said. "So, you've kind of just got to keep telling yourself every day that your chance is going to come. That's what I did."

And certainly, Mike Leach and his coaching staff took notice of the standout high school running back turned Cougar specialist. Off his redshirt season in 2012, Henry transitioned to a special teams role in 2013, and appeared in seven games, before becoming the soul of the special teams unit in 2014 with seven tackles, and an unmatched work ethic.

Maybe sometimes overlooked by the casual fan, Henry caught his teammates and coaches' eyes, and was selected as a team captain as a redshirt sophomore. Later, after two seasons on special teams, he was put on scholarship. But his hunger for success and competitive drive wouldn't let him be satisfied with that one big achievement.
 
"Being a walk-on, one of my main goals was to win a scholarship eventually," Henry said. "And now, I also want to be a part of a WSU Rose Bowl team. We've got one checked off, and I'm trying to check off the second one."

On the path to checking off that second goal, Henry earned a starting spot and was a key defensive cog as a redshirt-junior. He also became well-known as the "Bulldog," stemming from his hard-nosed, down-to-business, mentality.
 
"It was cool to have something that everybody called you by, like a nickname," Henry said. "Everybody wants to be called something."

And of all the nicknames in sports, Henry's is of the truest variety; a mantra; a way of life; a mindset.
 
"If I'm going to do something, I've always wanted to put my all into it," Henry said. "Whether it be football or school, or whatever it is. I never want to just be average at something."

And that's what being a Bulldog is all about. Not accepting 'average.' For Henry, sitting on the media day stage in Los Angeles, he was well above average. But still, his eyes were locked on the prize.

"I'm looking forward to winning as many games as we possibly can, and making the Cougs proud," Henry said.

Because in the end, sure Cougar fans will remember the 'Bulldog.' But it's more than just a name. It's a mentality, helping shape the changing culture at Washington State. A mentality that is only possessed by the hardest workers.

From walk-on to 'bulldog,' Parker Henry has been making his mark at WSU, and he's not done yet.