University of Tennessee Athletics
Eric Berry Named Bednarik Award Semifinalist
November 05, 2008 | Football
Nov. 5, 2008
Another day, another national award nomination for Tennessee safety Eric Berry.
The Vols' super sophomore saw his name added Wednesday to the list of 15 semifinalists for the 2008 Chuck Bednarik Award, presented to the nation's outstanding defensive player. Berry was named to multiple mid-season All-America squads last month and Tuesday was selected a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award presented to the nation's top defensive back.
Berry snagged his major college-best sixth interception of the season in the third quarter Saturday at South Carolina and added a 45-yard return to it. The pick was the 11th of his career, tying him for 11th in school history in that category. The return gave him 442 career interception return yards, which extended his SEC?record and moves him within 59 yards of the NCAA record held by Terrell Buckley of Florida State (501 yards).
He now has 220 interception return yards this season, a total just two yards shy of his own school-record total from 2007 and only 24 yards from the SEC season record set by Florida's Joe Brodsky in 1956. Southern California's Charles Phillips set the major college season record in 1974 with 302 interception return yards.
The Tennessee record for interceptions in a season is 10, but Berry is just one pick from tying for seventh on that list (7) and three picks from tying for second (9).
Berry is tied atop the Football Bowl Subdivision rankings this season with his six interceptions, but he is the only player with more than 200 return yards. Only seven players have more than 100 return yards and just one other player has more than 175 yards.
The announcement of the winners of the Thorpe and Bednarik awards will be made during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show that will be broadcast Dec. 11 on ESPN. Three finalists for each award will be in attendance for the ESPN broadcast.
2008 Chuck Bednarik Award Semifinalists Eric Berry, TENNESSEE, S, SOPH.; Terrence Cody, Alabama, NT, Jr.; Zack Follett, California, LB, Sr.; Jerry Hughes, Texas Christian, DE, Jr.; Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State, CB, Sr.; James Laurinaitis, Ohio State, LB, Sr.; Ray Maualuga, Southern California, LB, Sr.; Aaron Maybin, Penn State, DE, Soph.; Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma, DT, Soph.; Scott McKillop, Pittsburgh, LB, Sr.; Brian Orakpo, Texas, DE, Sr.; Myron Rolle, Florida State, S, Jr.; Brandon Spikes, Florida, LB, Jr.; Vance Walker, Georgia Tech, DT, Sr.; Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri, LB, Jr.
UT WELCOMES FANS, ALUMNI TO HOMECOMING GAME SATURDAY
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, welcomes football fans and alumni to campus Saturday for Homecoming.
Kickoff for the Volunteers' game against Wyoming is scheduled for 1 p.m. Eastern time. Neyland Stadium gates open at 11 a.m.
The traditional Vol Walk from Gibbs Hall to the stadium starts at 10:45 a.m., and the Pride of the Southland Marching Band leaves the music building at 11:20 a.m. The band will be accompanied by the alumni band and bagpipers.
Homecoming will be celebrated across campus.
Party in the Park, a large tailgate, will be held in Circle Park starting at 9 a.m. Other tailgating events will be hosted by the Black Cultural Center, the College of Nursing, the College of Engineering and the College of Law.
Santana's El Nino, the World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse, will circle the field before the game, and two F/A-18 Super Hornets are planned to fly over the stadium during the national anthem. The fighter jets are part of the VFA-11, Red Rippers, based at the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va.
Interstate closed near campus
As always, fans driving to the game are encouraged to arrive early. Interstate 40 is closed between Hall of Fame Drive and James White Parkway downtown, but all of the exits that lead to campus remain open.
Eastbound motorists have access to several exits: Alcoa Highway (exit 386B) to Neyland Drive, 17th Street (exit 387) to Cumberland Avenue or Henley Street (exit 388) to downtown. The last eastbound exit is 388A, James White Parkway.
Westbound motorists should use Hall of Fame Drive (exit 389) to Neyland Drive.
After the game, fans traveling westbound on I-40 should stay in the left lanes to avoid traffic delays where I-640 merges with I-40. Local traffic should use alternate routes westbound, including Middlebrook Pike.
For more information about the I-40 closure, visit here.
Game day policies remain same
Under state law, no smoking will be allowed anywhere inside the gates of Neyland Stadium. No one inside the gates will be allowed to leave and then be readmitted.
Only fans with permits can park on campus. UT encourages fans to use shuttle buses from the Knoxville Civic Coliseum and the UT Agriculture Campus.
A no-fly zone extends over the stadium from one hour before the game until one hour after it ends, prohibiting flights within a 3-nautical-mile radius and lower than 3,000-feet altitude, except as authorized by air traffic control.
Solicitation near stadium gates and along Phillip Fulmer Way is prohibited.
UT reminds visitors that all items, including purses, are subject to search at the gates. Certain items remain prohibited inside the stadium, and those items cannot be stored at any stadium gate.
Prohibited items include the following:
• alcoholic beverages • cans, bottles or coolers • radios without headphones • open umbrellas • video cameras • stadium seats with arms • large bags or parcels, including backpacks and large purses • weapons of any kind, including pocketknives
Fans are allowed to bring the following items inside the stadium:
• cushions and seats without arms • diaper bags that accompany infants • small cameras, pagers, cell phones and binoculars
For those driving on campus, Peyton Manning Pass, Middle and Lower Drives, Estabrook Drive and Phillip Fulmer Way from Middle Drive to Tee Martin Drive will be closed 30 minutes before kickoff. Directional parking will be used in Area 9 and Lots 4, 5A and 5B.
For more game day information, please visit here.
