University of Tennessee Athletics
Berry Named Walter Camp All-America
December 11, 2008 | Football
Dec. 11, 2008
Read Eric Berry's On Line Chat
Tennessee sophomore safety Eric Berry picked up his third All-America honor Thursday as he was named to the Walter Camp All-America team at the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show in Orlando, Fla. Berry has now earned All-America recognition from the American Football Coaches Association, Rivals.com and the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Berry was in Orlando as one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation's top defensive back.
The Fairburn, Ga., native finished third on the UT team with 72 tackles and picked off an FBS-best seven passes, returning them for a single-season school and conference record 265 yards. He also posted a total of 13 passes defensed, which is the eighth-highest single season mark in school history.
Berry also broke the UT and Southeastern Conference career records for interception return yards as his 222 yards off of five picks during the 2007 season gave him a total of 487 career yards. The four interception return yardage records Berry broke had been on the books for a combined total of 187 years. The UT season record stood for 37 years, the UT career record for 39 years, the SEC season record for 52 years and the SEC career record for 59 years.
He enters next season just 14 yards shy of the major college career record of 501 interception return yards set by Florida State's Terrell Buckley from 1989-91.
Berry was a bright star on one of the better defenses in the country. The Vols are currently ranked fourth nationally in total defense and pass defense and 11th in scoring defense.
Berry was one of four sophomores and four SEC players to make the Walter Camp first team.
SIX VOLS UNDERGO POSTSEASON SURGERIES
Six Tennessee footballers underwent various surgeries Thursday at UT Medical Center. Head athletic trainer Jason McVeigh said the procedures repaired problems incurred during the 2008 playing season and all were successful.
Linebacker Rico McCoy underwent right thumb surgery, while defensive back Anthony Anderson had right knee arthroscopic surgery. Defensive end Wes Brown and defensive back Demetrice Morley both underwent knee surgeries to repair a torn meniscus, Brown his right knee and Morley his left.
McVeigh expects those four players to make a full recovery in time for spring practice.
Two additional Vols underwent shoulder surgeries that will limit their contact this spring. Defensive back Marsalous Johnson had his left shoulder repaired, while linebacker Daryl Vereen had his right.
Drs. Russell Betcher and Greg Mathien of the Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic handled five of Thursday's procedures, with Betcher and Dr. Robert Ivy performing McCoy's thumb surgery.
2008 WALTER CAMP ALL-AMERICA TEAM
| FIRST TEAM OFFENSE | ||||||
| WR | *Michael Crabtree | Texas Tech | Soph. | 6-3 | 214 | Dallas, TX |
| WR | Dez Bryant | Oklahoma State | Soph. | 6-2 | 210 | Lufkin, TC |
| TE | Chase Coffman | Missouri | Sr. | 6-6 | 245 | Peculiar,MO |
| OL | Mike Oher | Mississippi | Sr. | 6-5 | 318 | Memphis, TN |
| OL | Andre Smith | Alabama | Jr. | 6-4 | 330 | Birmingham, AL |
| OL | #Duke Robinson | Oklahoma | Sr. | 6-5 | 335 | Atlanta, GA |
| OL | Rylan Reed | Texas Tech | Sr. | 6-7 | 305 | Dallas, TX |
| C | A.Q. Shipley | Penn State | Sr. | 6-1 | 297 | Beaver County, PA |
| QB | Colt McCoy | Texas | Jr. | 6-3 | 210 | Tuscola, TX |
| RB | Shonn Greene | Iowa | Jr. | 5-11 | 235 | Sicklerville, NJ |
| RB | Javon Ringer | Michigan State | Sr. | 5-9 | 202 | Dayton, OH |
| PK | Louie Sakoda | Utah | Sr. | 5-9 | 178 | San Jose, CA |
| FIRST TEAM DEFENSE | ||||||
| DL | Brian Orakpo | Texas | Sr. | 6-4 | 260 | Houston, TX |
| DL | Aaron Maybin | Penn State | Jr. | 6-2 | 236 | Ellicott City, MD |
| DL | Jerry Hughes | TCU | Jr. | 6-2 | 248 | SugarLand, TX |
| DL | Nick Reed | Oregon | Sr. | 6-2 | 260 | TrabucoCanyon, CA |
| LB | Rey Maualuga | USC | Sr. | 6-2 | 260 | Eureka, CA |
| LB | @James Laurinaitis | Ohio State | Sr. | 6-3 | 240 | Hamel, MN |
| LB | Brandon Spikes | Florida | Jr. | 6-3 | 245 | Shelby, NC |
| DB | #Malcolm Jenkins | Ohio State | Sr. | 6-1 | 201 | Piscataway, NJ |
| DB | #Alphonso Smith | Wake Forest | Sr. | 5-9 | 190 | Pahokee, FL |
| DB | Eric Berry | Tennessee | Soph. | 5-11 | 195 | Fairburn, GA |
| DB | Taylor Mays | USC | Jr. | 6-3 | 230 | Seattle,WA |
| P | T.J. Conley | Idaho | Sr. | 6-3 | 220 | Walla Walla, WA |
| KR | Jeremy Maclin | Missouri | Soph. | 6-1 | 200 | Kirkwood,MO |
| SECOND TEAM OFFENSE | ||||||
| WR | %Jarett Dillard | Rice% | Sr. | 5-11 | 185 | SanAntonio, TX |
| WR | Percy Harvin | Florida | Jr. | 5-11 | 195 | Virginia Beach, VA |
| TE | Jermaine Gresham | Oklahoma | Jr. | 6-6 | 261 | Ardmore, OK |
| OL | Eugene Monroe | Virginia | Sr. | 6-6 | 315 | Plainfield, NJ |
| OL | #Ryan Stanchek | West Virginia | Sr. | 6-4 | 303 | Cincinnati, OH |
| OL | Herman Johnson | LSU | Sr. | 6-7 | 386 | Olla, LA |
| OL | Alex Boone | Ohio State | Sr. | 6-8 | 312 | Lakewood, OH |
| C | Alex Mack | California | Sr. | 6-4 | 316 | Santa Barbara, CA |
| QB | Sam Bradford | Oklahoma | Soph. | 6-4 | 218 | Oklahoma City, OK |
| RB | Knowshon Moreno | Georgia | Soph. | 5-11 | 208 | Bedford, NJ |
| RB | Donald Brown | Connecticut | Jr. | 5-10 | 210 | Atlantic Highlands, NJ |
| PK | Graham Gano | Florida State | Sr. | 6-1 | 192 | Pensacola, FL |
| SECOND TEAM DEFENSE | ||||||
| DL | *George Selvie | South Florida | Jr. | 6-4 | 245 | Pensacola, FL |
| DL | Terrence Cody | Alabama | Jr. | 6-5 | 365 | Fort Myers, FL |
| DL | Everette Brown | Florida State | Jr. | 6-4 | 252 | Stantonsburg, NC |
| DL | Mitch King | Iowa | Sr. | 6-3 | 280 | Burlington, IA |
| LB | Scott McKillop | Pittsburgh | Sr. | 6-2 | 240 | Export, PA |
| LB | Michael Tauiliili | Duke | Sr. | 5-11 | 235 | Houston, TX |
| LB | Sean Weatherspoon | Missouri | Jr. | 6-1 | 235 | Jasper, TX |
| DB | Trimane Goddard | North Carolina | Sr. | 5-11 | 195 | Robersonville, NC |
| DB | Rashad Johnson | Alabama | Sr. | 6-0 | 186 | Sulligent,AL |
| DB | Mike Mickens | Cincinnati | Sr. | 6-0 | 190 | Huber Heights, OH |
| DB | Trevard Lindley | Kentucky | Jr. | 6-0 | 175 | Hiram, GA |
| P | Pat McAfee | West Virginia | Sr. | 6-1 | 221 | Plum, PA |
| KR | Derrick Williams | Penn State | Jr. | 6-0 | 194 | Greenbelt, MD |
| KR | Joe Burnett | Central Florida | Sr. | 5-11 | 185 | Eustis, FL |
@ - 2006 and 2007 Walter Camp First Team All-American * - 2007 Walter Camp First Team All-American # - 2007 Walter Camp Second Team All-American % - 2006 Walter Camp Second Team All-American
