Could UT’s Berry exact Peyton’s Revenge?
If you want to anger the soul of a loyal Tennessee Volunteer, just bring up 1997.
Tennessee fans can give you every detail of that exhilarating, frustrating year. It was the year that they lost to the Gators 33-20 in Gainesville but then won the rest of them in the regular season. It was the year that the Vols won their first SEC championship under Phillip Fulmer with quarterback Peyton Manning leading the way. On the night of SEC championship game Manning rallied Tennessee from a 20-7 deficit by throwing for 373 yards. That total included a 73-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Nash early in the fourth quarter, which proved to be the game winner, 30-29.
Afterwards, Manning was named the game’s MVP and capped off the evening by directing the Tennessee band as it played “Rocky Top.”
I was convinced that one week later, Manning would add one more shining star to his resume by winning the Heisman Trophy. I was wrong. Michigan defensive back Charles Woodson was handed the hardware at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York. How shocking was it? Woodson was the last non-quarterback/running back to win college football’s most prestigious award.
Tennessee fans haven’t gotten over it. The fact is they’ll never get over it. Peyton Manning was the best player in college football in 1997. To me it wasn’t close. But for the fourth time in Tennessee’s illustrious football history, Volunteer fans had seen one of their greatest players finish second for the Heisman. Shoot, it had only been 41 years since Johnny Majors (whose Tennessee team was 10-0) had finished second to Notre Dame’s Paul Hornung, who played on a 2-8 team in 1956. Forty years from now the Big Orange Nation will still feel deeply that Manning got cheated out of a Heisman Trophy.
That’s why a little part of you should be rooting for Eric Berry.
Tennessee has announced that it will launch a Heisman Trophy campaign for Berry, the junior safety from Fairburn. Here is his website:
I met with Eric during SEC media days in Hoover, Ala., and asked him about the Heisman.
“I just appreciate the fact that the Tennessee people think that much of me,” said Berry. “People have asked me if a defensive back can win the Heisman. It has happened before. I just want Tennessee to win football games.”
Berry has been the best defensive player in the SEC since he walked onto the Tennessee campus. He is so good that he only needs 15 interception return yards to break the NCAA career record of 501 set by Florida State’s Terrell Buckley (1989-91).
“You just don’t run across talent like that every day,” said head coach Lane Kiffin, who announced when he took over that 21 out of 22 positions on the team were up for competition. Berry’s was safe. “He’s special. He’s a difference maker. I’m glad he’s playing for Tennessee.”
Are the odds against Berry winning the Heisman? You bet. It is a major long shot. Three quarterbacks who went to New York last year—Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy—are back. Tebow and Bradford already have one Heisman in their trophy cases. If one of those guys doesn’t get the Heisman it will be a huge, huge upset.
And Kiffin has said that as tempting as it is, he won’t use Berry on offense. Berry is coming off shoulder surgery. If Berry were on making plays on offense, some of the Heisman voters might notice. But I agree with Kiffin. It’s too great a risk for a team that will rely on its defense to win in 2009.
But wouldn’t it be a delicious irony that if 12 years after the bitter disappointment of watching their beloved Manning finish second to a defensive back, Tennessee fans could see Berry waltz in front of those rock-star quarterbacks and snatch the Heisman like one of his 12 career interceptions?
Just call it Peyton’s Revenge. How cool would that be?
What do you think? Is it still possible for a defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy?
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91 comments Add your comment
athensdawg
July 30th, 2009
11:27 am
it used to be the player who dominated college football….that player would go to the nfl and dominate as well. now it is just a popularity contest for quarterbacks, and “stars” at big name schools that play for the national championship.
the days of someone like george rogers or doug flutie winning the heisman are over. that’s what it is supposed to be…the MVP of college football. USC wouldn’t have been crap that year without george rogers, as BC wouldn’t have been worth a crap without flutie.
like everything in today’s world, it is a giant commercial designed to suck in the pudding brained espn zombies…..next thing you know, it’s going to be the heisman trophy presented by “godaddy.com,” and we’ll have one of the go daddy girls taking their clothes off while they give the trophy to the winner.
athensdawg
July 30th, 2009
11:29 am
…which, i would add, might make it actually interesting for a change.
gdawginkalamazoo
July 30th, 2009
11:34 am
Atl Gator, Those guys were in the heads of a lot players and coaches. The thing that still amazes me is that SOS only won one NC with that gun n’ fun O. Sure being a dawg fan I would take just one right now but UF ruled the 90’s and SOS and Stoops had it going.
ESPN BIAS!
July 30th, 2009
11:36 am
Espn;Kirk,LEE nad crew will not let a D player win. They are in much love with those Big 12 QB’S that play against very weak D’s all year. A playe like Berry, Spiks, or Mays should be getiing a lot of pub.
ESPN BIAS!
July 30th, 2009
11:46 am
Sean Taylor,Julius Peppers,David Pollack,Glenn Dorsey to name a few that were give zero pup form the media…
hsf
July 30th, 2009
11:46 am
Woodson was a product of ESPN, plain and simple. They had the deal with the Big 10; therefore it was in their interest for a Big 10 player to win.
Tide Rising
July 30th, 2009
11:50 am
Athensdawg and hsf
You both hit the nail on the head, nothing truer could be said.
Atlanta gator,
I think someone new has hijacked your handle on the other post. His comments seem very unAtlanta Gatoresque.
SecIsFootball
July 30th, 2009
12:03 pm
The Realist….I have to disagree with you on your point about Berry. I think Spikes and Cody are valuable to their teams but they also are surrounded by other great players. Berry is their D and aside from maybe Rico McCoy, they have very little defensive talent.
George P. Burdell
July 30th, 2009
12:05 pm
As a Tech guy I agree with stoopid at 9:39. st. simons is an ass. As for Manning I think Tide Rising read my mind at 10:54. Thanks for coming with the stats. The replay I remember getting shoved down my throat over & over & over was his one-handed interception against Ohio State. I think Keith Jackson wet his Depends on that one. No need to discuss Manning qualifications in 1997. Anyone who actually looks at 1997 stats knows they speak for themselves.
As for Berry I like to know if all the nay-sayers have even seen him perform. The other players mentioned are excellent, but Berry is the hardest hitter & fastest most elusive runner on any field he steps on. Ask that uga RB from last year who Berry knocked out…literally. No chance on the HT though. ESPN will give it to McCoy or Tebow.
Gen Neyland
July 30th, 2009
12:13 pm
First, I hold no grudge that Peyton didn’t win the Heisman. Woodson was a talented college DB playing many roles well. Theoretically IMO, the Heisman is a curse to the Senior player whose college career is done. The order of finish that year was Woodson, Manning, Leaf…Berry is an exceptional DB. Anybody with a biddy brain knows that he’s a ballhawk and a hitter. Will he win the Heisman..? Nope. Gotta make the BCS ranks to bring home the hardware and I don’t expect Tennessee to be included in 2009. Will it diminish his career not to win it..? Nope. Should he return for his Senior year, (and I think he does) he’ll stand a better chance to be included in the Top 3…Nonetheless, Go Vols.
GT Dog
July 30th, 2009
12:56 pm
No doubt about it, Berry’s a killer on the field, and I understand he’s a great kid off the field. But he won’t win the Heisman.
Thinking back to Manning’s Senior year…..i remember being shocked that he didn’t win it. I still consider him to be one of the top 5 college qb’s ever. Hard to understand that one.
Here’s my low-percentage prediction on the Heisman this year—–D (none of the big three win it).
Atlanta Gator
July 30th, 2009
1:26 pm
Tide Rising—-Yes, I know. The other guy is “ATL GATOR,” and I’m “Atlanta Gator.” It’s a bit confusing, isn’t it?
mgoodr00
July 30th, 2009
1:32 pm
The Heisman has become more or less a joke. Case in point was Sam Bradford winning last year. They lost to their main rival,Texas,and didn’t play another good team until after the votes were counted. Colt McCoy should have won. He outplayed Bradford in Dallas, and if i remember correctly wasn’t the reason they lost to Texas Tech. I guess Oklahoma’s rout of the Red Raiders in Norman was the deciding factor amongst voters. It shouldn’t have been because who goes to Oklahoma and wins? I think they have won 40 straight over there. I think maybe the last loss was to Oklahoma State some years back. As far as this year goes I would think that Berry will be invited to New York for the ceremony. Also Tennessee buying up billboards is as much about Kiffin racking up publicity for the program as it is to promote Berry. Nobody can say that Kiffin doesn’t know what he is doing.
Will
July 30th, 2009
1:53 pm
Berry will never have a shot! Our pathetic media loves Tebow, Bradford and McCoy as much as they do Obama. So that discussion is over.
Tide Rising
July 30th, 2009
1:54 pm
Atlanta Gator,
Yes. I’m like m and am easily confused.
Seriously, I could tell from the nature and general demeanor of his posts that it wasn’t your usual balanced and reasoned posts. Oh well, at least now we know the diff.
Atlanta Gator
July 30th, 2009
2:15 pm
Tide Rising—-It’s one of the joys of the AJC blogs. Don’t worry, it’s only a matter of time until you get your very own “RISING TIDE” doppelganger. = )
BTW, the other guy doesn’t have my understated, dry sense of humor, either.
More praise from ESPN on Georgia recruiting efforts and other links « Football on the Brain
July 30th, 2009
2:23 pm
[...] Mr. College Football asks Can Eric Berry exact Peyton’s revenge by winning the 2009 Heisman? [...]
Mark
July 30th, 2009
2:31 pm
Berry may be the best player but he’ll have to have numbers to win it…both individual stats and UT wins. Two things about 1997…Hines Ward was the best player in America and if they voted in 1998 based on the criteria that won it for Woodson in ‘97 Champ Bailey had better numbers playing the same WR/DB/KR positions.
Bandwagon-jumping Tech Fan
July 30th, 2009
2:32 pm
You guys are CRAZY. Eric Berry is SO over-rated. He plays centerfield on D and reads the QB’s eyes to make all those picks. No defensive player has a chance to win the Heisman- EVER- again.
Chris
July 30th, 2009
2:49 pm
Who cares? He’ll be playing on a 4-7 team.
mgoodr00
July 30th, 2009
2:49 pm
Berry is a strong safety, which means on most plays he has run support responsibilities. The free safety is more or less a center fielder. Also, reading the quarterbacks eyes is only one part of the equation in making an interception. You have to then have the talent to move to the right spot on the field to have a chance to make the interception. If you can do both of those things you still have to do the most important part of making an interception, which is catching the ball. What sets Berry apart is that he can not only make the interception but more times than not return it for a touchdown.
Bandwagon-jumping Tech Fan
July 30th, 2009
3:01 pm
What do I know- I’m a Tech fan. Now I DO know about comic-con.
UGASlobberknocker
July 30th, 2009
3:54 pm
Bandwagon you dont know squat about football but you are funny.
To me Berry and Calvin Johnson are the two ga players in the past 10 years that really hurt us Dawg fans by going elsewhere. Of course, Berry’s decision wasnt a surprise since his dad played there. I dont think he has a shot at the Heisman but SEC Player of the Year and 1st team AA seem doable for sure. Too bad he is on such a crappy team.
PaulDawg
July 30th, 2009
4:45 pm
I HATE Tennessee but Manning got hosed in 97. Berry is a great player (if we had him we would have beated Tech by 14- he can tackle) but UT will be too poor for him to receive enough attention to out-poll Tebow/Bradford/McCoy.
Rabun Dawg
July 30th, 2009
7:10 pm
If memory serves me correctly, Danny W. from UF won the Heisman the year before Manning was up for the award, and me thinks that there was no way the NYAC was going to let QB’s from the SEC win the award back to back. JMHO! And Atlanta Gator,I also thought someone else was using your “handle” as his posts were not done with near the “well thought out and expressed” posts that you usually put up! Eric Berry is a “beast” back there, but me thinks he will not have a chance with all those QB’s the press loves!
gtforever
July 30th, 2009
8:07 pm
I would submit that if you make the balloting process public knowledge, then we would have a much better Heisman winner…
Evening Headlines (Video of a 7-year-old leading police on a car chase) by Hard Knox Sports
July 30th, 2009
8:14 pm
[...] Berry to make up for Manning’s Hesiman upset: Tony Barnhardt has a great piece about how ironic it would be if Eric Berry makes a run at the Heisman Trophy 12 years after Peyton Manning was snubbed forthe Heisman Trophy that was won by Charles Woodson. [AJC] [...]
Bigeared dog
July 30th, 2009
8:57 pm
If ESPN wants a defensive player, a defensive player will win the heisman
GreggJ
July 30th, 2009
9:08 pm
hec no Berry cant win- He dissed his own state to play for Rocky Flop!!! I hope he does not break the NCAA record- GO DAWGS!
Gen Neyland
July 30th, 2009
10:09 pm
GreggJ : Didn’t you wash my windshield last night..?
n
July 30th, 2009
10:48 pm
General Neyland,
No. That was his twin m.
Denver Dog
July 30th, 2009
11:10 pm
I think he is a good player, but not for the Heisman. What I would like for us to see is for the hype wouldn’t start til sometimes in the middle of the season. It is not like it is the Iowa Caucus, or the New Hampshire Primary. If there were a great D player that should have really been in the running it was Champ Bailey, but alas, he is from the south, played on an average team and didn’t do the “Pose” like others.
I prefer the Heisman winner to show it on the field and at the end of the season. Too bad it is not that way at all anymore.
Fred
July 31st, 2009
3:32 am
I could care less about the heisman. They can stick it were the sun doesn’t shine. I have been mad ever since they screwed Johnny Majors. Also Heath Schular came in second in 93.
These new york yankee’s will not always vote for the best player but for the one that gets out the best headlines.
The hell with the heisman.
TommyJack
July 31st, 2009
8:11 am
GreggJ: How many teefs do you have?
Top Dawg
July 31st, 2009
8:20 am
Jeff Owens or Rennie Curran for Heisman!!!
Too Easy
July 31st, 2009
8:29 am
Dorsey and Chris nailed it. In today’s world, the H winner must play for a team that is in contention, and I don’t see the Vols having the supporting cast this year.
Jayne
July 31st, 2009
4:11 pm
I totally 100% agree, very accurate.
Nachos
July 31st, 2009
9:20 pm
Is it true Gene Chizik gets paid in cow patties and fat, ugly, barner sorrority girls?
5-19 git R done
ckgator
August 3rd, 2009
12:10 am
So vote for Berry because Peyton “I never beat UF” Manning didn’t win in ‘97?
Why don’t we try playing the games first and see how it all shakes out…
Kevin
August 3rd, 2009
3:24 am
wromg again tebow has 2 Natl championship under his belt….None for Berry yet…so tebow will be hiesman winner again…so we know u hate fla anyway sir….Cause they have better program coach n beat the least 10 conf to…so Tebow hiesman trophy winner 2010.
HT
August 4th, 2009
6:35 pm
Berry might perhaps be the best player the SEC has had since Herschel. He is the type of player that you expect something is about to happen. He becomes INSTANT OFFENSE after an interception.