New Eric Berry Info

[rexvol]

Eric Berry Makes Visit, Gets Visit From Vols

you're a Tennessee football fan who keeps a close eye on the program, then the name Eric Berry has meant something to you for several months, maybe longer. The player that Rivals.com rates as being the No. 3 overall prospect in the country has occupied a lofty place on the Vols' recruiting wish-list since before the end of last season...


need someone with a rivals pass......

[therickbol]

It says that he was very impressed that we visited with him in his home just 1 day after our regular season ended. We were the first school to set up a visit with him and that seemed to be important to him (i.e. showing where he ranked on our board, #1). It also said he loved the fact that Chavis and Cut both came on the visit and showed him a detailed plan showing exactly how we plan to use him on defense and offense. He said that he thinks most schools are telling him he can play both ways just because they know that is what he wants to hear. But, he said UT's detailed plan proves that we have put serious thought into how he would work into play both ways at UT. And the best part was that he said UT would definately be his final official visit.

[tclowers23]

Hell yes!

[OrangePappy]

[hvwarrior58]

Yeah, the article definitely sounds as if we are his leader by far. I honestly don't think that UGA or Auburn will be a factor and USC will not be a huge one because of distance. OSU could be our biggest competition but I still think we land him.

[rexvol]

I always feel better when we are the last visit.

[Athensvol]

UT sends three to see Berry
By DAVE HOOKER, HOOKERD@KNEWS.COM
November 27, 2006

There’s no question Eric Berry is a wanted man.

Tennessee sent three football coaches to visit with the 5-foot-11, 195-pound athlete from Creekside High School in Fairburn, Ga., on Sunday. Defensive coordinators John Chavis, offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe and receivers coach Trooper Taylor each were at Berry’s home to make sure Berry knew just how valuable he could be to UT’s 2007 signing class.

Berry was impressed.

"It was kind of shocking because it was right after their game. I expected them to come this week but not yesterday," Berry said on Monday.

Berry is considered one of the top prospects in the nation and could play a number of positions, including receiver or defensive back.

Berry’s unofficial visit to Knoxville last weekend for the Kentucky game had to make UT’s coaches feel good.

"I just wanted to go back up there," said Berry, who brought along fellow Georgia prospect Morgan Burnett from College Park High School in North Clayton.

Several SEC and ACC schools are recruiting Burnett. UT’s chief competition for Berry is thought to be Ohio State and Georgia.

"It was good," Berry said of his most recent visit. "We just went to go see the game (and) talk to Coach (Phillip) Fulmer."

So should UT fans be excited about the prospects of landing Berry, considering he took a visit to Knoxville on his own dime?

"I guess," he said. "I don’t know."

Berry’s high school team is in the Georgia state quarterfinals this week. He said he wouldn’t announce a decision until National Signing Day in February.

Berry has been selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio in January. Game officials invited the top 80 prospects in the nation to play.

[rexvol]

"I guess,.....I dont know."

well, I guess Im excited, but now I dont know.

[hvwarrior58]

It was like the guy's 3rd visit up here on unofficial visit this year and I'm sure he doesn't want to give it away yet.

[rexvol]

I feel very good about his recruitment (is that a word?)

[KCVol]

Well, I view it this way. Georiga - Georiga Tech were playing in Athens, and he came to UTK on his own to see us play UK. What do you think?

[utvol0427]

Originally Posted by KCVol

Well, I view it this way. Georiga - Georiga Tech were playing in Athens, and he came to UTK on his own to see us play UK. What do you think?

Good point. I would be very very surprised if he isn't playing in Orange next year.

[BigOrangeNation1]

If you're a Tennessee football fan who keeps a close eye on the program, then the name Eric Berry has meant something to you for several months, maybe longer. The player that Rivals.com rates as being the No. 3 overall prospect in the country has occupied a lofty place on the Vols' recruiting wish-list since before the end of last season, and with recruiting heating up in a serious way, the Tennessee staff wasted little time in making sure Berry knew where he stood in terms of priorities.

There's little doubt that Berry sits at or near the very top of the Vols' wish list.
Less than 24 hours after Tennessee's regular season ended both coordinators and receiver coach Trooper Taylor were in Berry's house on a recruiting visit, making it clear to him just how important they view him to this class and how they plan to use him if given the chance.

Berry (5-foot-11, 194 pounds, 4.33 40-yard dash) is a rare athlete who could easily project as an impact player at a number of different positions on the college level. The biggest challenge for whichever program is lucky enough to land him may be figuring out to best use him.

The prospect said that to Tennessee's credit, the coaching staff already had a detailed plan for what they see him being able to do in Orange if he picks the Vols, and were prepared to show him specifically how they would use him if given the chance during Sunday afternoon's in-home visit.

"Coach Chavis told me that he needs cornerbacks, that he's losing both his starters, which I didn't realize because I forgot about Inky getting hurt," Berry said of the talk he had with the coaches today. "Coach Cutcliffe talked about using me in a specific package that mixed a lot of things together, with me playing some in the slot, some at running back and doing some things in the shotgun similar to what Arkansas does with (Darren) McFadden.

"I really liked everything that they had to say. I want to play on both sides of the ball, and Tennessee let me know that they take that seriously. I really liked that they have a plan in place already and could tell me what they think I could do."

Berry is a high-school quarterback who is just simply dazzling to watch in action. He's also a lockdown corner who doesn't shy away from contact. It's easy to see why any coach would have a hard time pigeon-holing him into a specific position, and Berry isn't ready to choose between offense and defense.

He said that everyone on his list is telling him that they'll look at him on both sides of the ball, but Tennessee seemed to score some points with its readiness to talk in specifics.

"Everyone talks about playing me both ways, but I get the feeling that some of them are just saying what I want to hear, not everyone seems genuine about it," Berry said.

In addition to what he heard during the visit, Berry said that he was also impressed about the timing of it, and what that suggests about where he sits in terms of priorities with this staff.

"I was surprised that they wanted to come today," Berry said. "They're season just ended yesterday, but they had already called and wanted to set everything up. That was the first visit I've had in the house, I haven't even heard from anyone else calling to set one up yet, even schools right up the street."

Some consistent buzz of late has suggested that the Vols are the team to beat for Berry's services, but the heralded athlete says that he's not ready to name a leader, and will wait until after he's taken his visits before naming a favorite and making a commitment.

If Tennessee is going to come out on top in this chase, they'll have to fend off some of college football elite programs. Berry took his first official visit to Auburn in October. He hasn't set specific dates for all of his upcoming trips, but the remainder of his visits are going to Ohio State, USC, Georgia and Tennessee.

Berry added that Tennessee will get the last official visit.

"I'm not saying anyone is my favorite right now, I'm considering all the schools that I'm going to take visits too," Berry said. "They're all great programs, I'm looking hard at all of them."

Berry's unofficial visit this weekend, which he made together with fellow Georgia prospect Morgan Burnett, was the third time that he's been in the stands in Knoxville this fall on game day as an unofficial guest.

He has also made trips to campus for camp and for numerous games with his father James, a former Tennessee player.

With so much time on campus under his belt, Berry said that he doesn't expect to see anything new when he visits, but had a good time nonetheless.

"I always have a good time up there, it was a good game, the kind of crowd that you expect to see at Tennessee," Berry said. "I got a chance to talk with the coaches and stuff. I feel real comfortable up there."

Berry is currently in the process of trying to lead his Creekside team to a Georgia state title. This Friday night they'll face Marist in the third-round. A win this week will send him to the semi-finals in the Georgia Dome.

Rivals.com rates Berry as a five-star prospect, the No. 1 cornerback in the nation and the No. 3 overall prospect in the Class of 2007.

[rexvol]

thanks for all the info BigO

[BigOrangeNation1]

Not a problem. I remember how it was without a Rivals pass.