University of Tennessee Athletics
Berry Named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week
November 02, 2015 | Football
Nov. 2, 2015
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Tennessee return specialist Evan Berry has been named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week, as announced Monday by the league office. The award comes in the aftermath of Berry's big, 100-yard kickoff return for touchdown in the third quarter of the Vols' 52-21 win over Kentucky last week.
Berry's kick return, which was initially fielded about five yards deep in the end zone, gives him three return touchdowns on the year. That figure ties the Tennessee record for kickoff return touchdowns in a season, originally set by the legendary Willie Gault in 1980. It was also the fifth 100-yard return in program history and first 100-yard return since Leonard Scott in 1999.
The SEC weekly award makes Berry the first Volunteer kick returner to get the nod in the special teams category since Cordarelle Patterson in 2012. Cameron Sutton -- who also had a punt return for touchdown at Kentucky on Saturday -- won SEC Special Teams Player of the Week last season as a punt returner and former Vol Michael Palardy claimed the prize in 2013 as a punter and placekicker.
Through eight games of the 2015 season, Berry has emerged as one of the top kick returners in college football. He ranks first in the nation in return average at 42.6 yards per return. He also stands alone with the most kick return touchdowns at three.
