University of Tennessee Athletics
The Anticipation 'almost compares to my freshman year'
September 03, 2009 | Football
Sept. 3, 2009
Tennessee's Eric Berry continues his weekly commentary with The Sporting News Today in his latest installment today. The Vols kickoff the season Saturday at 12:21 p.m. ET against Western Kentucky.
There is a feeling of greater anticipation for this opener with the new coaching staff here than in my past two years. I think it almost compares to my freshman year, seeing how this is our first time with this coaching staff. We've never played a game with these guys, and they've never been in a game with us. We just want to see how things roll and how we do this weekend against Western Kentucky. I've never won a season opener since I've been here, so we just want to try and get off on the right foot and take things a step further.
We have a lot of freshmen coming in, and the thing I see from them is that those guys are competitors. Everyone that we have brought in, it seems like they're coming in mature, they're ready to play. Of course, they're still a little young, but they're helping this team out somewhere, whether it's on special teams or punt returns or even just playing on defense in certain packages or on offense in certain packages.
The one who has caught my eye the most? The problem is that there's so many, but on the defensive side because I play with him so much it's Janzen Jackson at free safety. He has a lot of natural ability. He makes a lot of plays and has great natural instincts. I don't think you can coach that. Just the way he gets to the ball and how he makes plays and makes tackles. Plus he's starting to learn his playbook now, so he's making even more plays. That's going to be scary when he actually he gets on the field.
As far as becoming the leader on defense, I know I am ready for it because just look at the guys that came before me. I know Jonathan Hefney did the same thing with us when I came in. He was the only senior in the (defensive) backfield, and he helped out the whole defense. Jerod Mayo also did a great job of putting us in the right positions, so I believe that me having that experience, they kind of showed me the way of how to do it when I become the older guy on the defense.
Come Saturday, fans are going to see the Eric Berry that they have been seeing--full speed to the ball, a lot of energy, never taking a play off. That's what they're going to expect week in and week out. And this will be my first time starting on special teams, which I'm very excited about. I'll be part of punt coverage and kickoff coverage.
-- As told to Roger Kuznia
