Eric Berry top pick for Kansas City has coaches and fans excited!
The Kansas City Chiefs selected former Tennessee Vols star Eric Berry (Def. back /6-0, 211) as there first pick in the 2010 NFL draft. Berry had a fabulous career at Creekside High School in Fairburn Georgia, where he was a four-year starter at quarterback and safety. The All-American led his team to a 37-5 overall record during his prep career, including two regional titles and an appearance in the State 4A quarterfinals as a senior.
His senior year in high school was a great one as he was named the Georgia Player of the Year by Gatorade and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He rushed for 1,500+ yards and passed for 1,000. Also Berry snagged three interceptions and racked up 40+ tackles as a defensive back. He also was a starter on the East squad of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Following in his fathers foot steps, James; who was also a three year starter for the Vols, Eric enrolled at Tennessee in 2007 and immediately made an impact on the defense. Being just the third Vol in the Phil Fulmer era to start the season opener as a true freshman. He was voted Freshman All-American and started all 14 games, snagged five INTs for 222 return yards including one TD, breaking the record of 177 INT return yards set by Bobby Majors in 1970. Berry fell seven yards shy of breaking the NCAA all-time record for interception return yards, as his 494 yards rank behind the 501 generated by Terrell Buckley of Florida State (1989-1991), shattering the previous high of 379 by Bobby Wilson of Mississippi (1946-49).
With 14 career interceptions he tied Deon Grant (1997-99) for fifth on Tennessee’s all-time list. His sophomore year, he broke the school and SEC records, collecting 265 interception return yards and surpassing the previous mark of 244 set by Joe Brodsky of Florida in 1956.
During his junior season with the Vols, Berry displayed both exceptional maturity and the field intelligence of a veteran pro, with such skills as being a dominating force in run support and keeping up with the quick SEC wide receivers. Berry also took home several awards during his career as a Vol such as the 2009 Jim Thorpe Award and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore. It was no surprise when Berry, a two time unanimous selection for All-American, announced his plans to enter the 2010 NFL Draft.
Berry was also a National Honor Society member and graduated with a 3.75 GPA, he also took other awards home during his tenure in Knoxville such as the Jack Tatum Award, presented to the nation’s best defensive back by the Touchdown Club of Columbus, Ohio, and the Vince Dooley Award, given to the top defensive back in the southeast by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta.
Spring practice with the rookies began sometime this week and Cheifs Head coach Todd Haley stated he was very excited about Berry and looked forward to the up coming NFL season.
Fans also voiced their opinion of Berry!
“You nailed it with this kid Berry………Yeaaah haw………..” said a very happy Chiefs fan.
“I’ll be the first to say that I am stoked to have Berry here. He will fill a huge need and will elevate the play of the secondary all around him” said another fan, and another said, ” He’s the top Safety out there, hopefully he can play some CB and disguise some formations. Most important, after seeing his reaction and hearing what this young guy had to say, he’s gonna be easy to cheer for and likely a lot of fun to watch. I love his enthusiasm. The tough guy exterior melted away and he was just “Happy” to be a Chief. Welcome aboard Mr. Berry, I hope you have a long, healthy and successful career…beginning with an appearance in the Playoffs and the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Hey, Michael and Jerry…look! It’s Eric Berry! ERIC BERRY!’
I think Eric will do very well in KC and i will be rooting for the Chiefs for years to come, good luck Eric!!
Lane Kiffin: A New Era In Tennessee Football
The wait is over and I feel like a kid on Christmas morning.
Lane Monte Kiffin (born May 9, 1975), was named the 21st head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers on December 1st. He was previously the head coach of the Oakland Raiders, and also the offensive coordinator of the University of Southern California Trojans.
Lane becomes the youngest active head coach in Division I FBS, surpassing Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald by about 6 months. Kiffin is a 1994 graduate of Bloomington Jefferson High School in Minnesota and a 1998 graduate of Fresno State University. He played backup quarterback for the Fresno State Bulldogs and gave up his senior season to become a Student Assistant Coach at Fresno State University, where his position coach was current University of California Head Coach Jeff Tedford. He earned his bachelor degree from Fresno State in 1998 where in addition to football, he played basketball and baseball.
Kiffin also worked as a Graduate Assistant for one year at Colorado State University. In 1999, working with the offensive line, the Rams played in the Liberty Bowl that season. Kiffin’s dad helped him secure a job with the Jacksonville Jaguars, as a quality control assistant for one year. Lane was then hired by one of his father’s former assistant coaches, Pete Carroll, as a tight ends coach.
Kiffin joined the University of Southern California staff in 2001 as a tight ends coach and became the wide receivers coach in 2002. In 2004, he added the duties of passing game coordinator and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2005. Kiffin also took the reins as recruiting coordinator that year, after offensive coordinator Norm Chow left USC for the same position with the Tennessee Titans. Along with these duties, Kiffin continued as the wide receivers coach.
During Kiffin’s tenure with USC, he was instrumental in the development of several wide receivers and tight ends in the program. While he was there, USC produced noted talents such as NFL draftees Mike Williams, Keary Colbert, Kareem Kelly, Alex Holmes and Dominique Byrd. In addition,Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett of the 2006 Trojans football team were both selected in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft by the New York Giants and the Carolina Panthers, respectively. Patrick Turner, Fred Davis and several other young new recruits such as Vidal Hazelton, Travon Patterson and Jamere Holland seem likely to continue the trend of excellence at this position. Notably, Lane Kiffin also helped amass the number-one recruiting class in the nation, the past several years.
In 2005, USC head coach Pete Carroll selected Kiffin to replace Norm Chow as offensive coordinator. Despite being new to the role, Lane Kiffin helped guide USC to a 23-3 win-loss record during his tenure in this capacity (an 88% win percentage). During the previous four years under Norm Chow’s play calling, the Trojans achieved 41 wins and 9 losses (82%). Under Kiffin in 2005 the USC offense produced school records in virtually every dimension, averaging 49.1 points and 579 yards per game. USC’s potent offense that season became the first in NCAA history to have a 3,000 yard passer (Matt Leinart), two 1,000 yard rushers (Reggie Bush & LenDale White), and a 1,000 yard receiver (Dwayne Jarrett). Steve Smith fell a few yards short of also surpassing 1,000 yards in receiving. With an all new offensive cast at the skill positions and in what was generally viewed as a rebuilding year for USC the offensive totals fell off to 30.5 point, and 391 yards per game, and 11 wins overall, he was promoted to offensive and recruiting coordinator while continuing as the wide receivers coach. In Kiffin’s three years as recruiting coordinator at USC, the Trojans had the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in college football every year. Under Kiffin leadership in 2006, the Trojans finished first in the Pac-10 in passing efficiency by averaging 142.8 yards per game, produced two, 1,000-yard receivers - Dwayne Jarrett (1,105) and Steve Smith (1,083) - and a 3,000-yard passer John David Booty, with 3,347 yards. Despite losses and key injuries the team produced top 20 statistics in most NCAA offensive categories and concluded with an impressive 32-18 win over the the University of Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
Raiders’ owner Al Davis hired Kiffin on January 23, 2007, making him the youngest head coach in Raiders history, and the youngest head coach since the formation of the modern NFL. Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach John Madden was 32 when he was elevated to the head post by Davis in 1969. Davis has been known to select young, up-and-coming coaches in their thirties; those hires who fared well include Tom Flores, John Madden, Mike Shanahan and Jon Gruden. All have won Super Bowls, though Madden and Flores are the only ones to win a championship with the Raiders.
Kiffin signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Tennessee on November 30, 2008. The tentative deal will pay Kiffin $2 million in 2009, with additional performance bonuses, including a $300,000 bonus if UT competes for the national championship. His salary increases over the six-year-deal, reaching a high of $2.75 million in 2014. The average salary of the deal is $2.375 million. If Kiffin is fired in 2009 or 2010, the school will have to pay him a buyout clause of $7.5 million; after the 2012 season, the buyout clause decreases to $5 million. If Kiffin resigns his position, he will have to pay UT $1 million in 2009, with the sum decreasing by $200,000 each year of his contract. He is the son of veteran college and NFL coach Monte Kiffin, who currently serves as defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
His wife’s name is Layla (whose father is John Reaves, former assistant for the University of Florida football team). They have two daughters: Landry, 3 and Pressley, 1. His brother, Chris, was a defensive lineman at Colorado State (2001–04).
SOURCE: Wikipedi
EMFC Playoffs In Full Swing (10-25-2008)
The air was crisp but that didn’t stop the action, as the English Mountain Football Conference playoffs began, this past weekend.
DIVISION I
In the Grasscutter Division , Newport (AFC) remains unbeaten as they hosted New Center and came away with the easy victory 45-6. Pigeon Forge bested Talbott 20-6, and will travel to the City Park to face Newport at 2:30 p.m. Sevierville (NFC) took care of Northview 26-0 and will host, Jefferson City, who barely sneaked by Dandridge 13-6, game time is set for high noon. In the AFC Super-Grasscutter Division, Parrottsville defeated Newport 27-13 and White Pine outlasted Pigeon Forge 20-18. That puts Parrottsville playing at White Pine at high noon. Also in the NFC, Grainger County defeated Jefferson City 26-14, and Sevierville blasted Dandridge 41-0. Grainger County will host Sevierville at 4 pm. The Pee-Wee Division had (AFC) White Pine over Edgemont 14-0 and Newport barely edging Pigeon Forge 19-13. Newport will travel to Pigeon Forge, game time is set for 1:30. (NFC) Northview remains unblemished as they took an easy win over Grainger County 41-6, and Sevierville won a shoot-out with Cosby 48-26. Northview will host Sevierville at 4pm. (NOTE: All games are scheduled for Saturday November 1st 2008.)
DIVISION II
In the Grasscutters (AFC) Parrottsville blanked White Pine 25-0 and Gatlinburg shut out Edgemont 18-0. Gatlinburg will travel to Parrottsville, game time is set for high noon. The NFC had Straw Plains defeating Cosby 12-0, which puts them playing at Grainger County, who had a bye, at 2:30 pm. The Gatlinburg (AFC) Super-Grasscutters defeated Talbott 35-0, and Edgemont bested New Center in overtime 20-13. Edgemont travels to Gatlinburg, game time 2:30 pm. Straw Plains blanked Cosby 40-0 and travels to Northview ,who also had a bye week, game time is set for 2:30pm. The Pee-Wee division (AFC) had New Center trumping Talbott 45-0, and Gatlinburg over Parrottsville 19-2, New Center hosts Gatlinburg at 12pm. The NFC play-off game featured Dandridge and Straw Plains with Dandridge getting the victory 19-0, they will travel to Jefferson City, bye week, at 12pm. (NOTE: All games are scheduled for Saturday November 1st 2008.)
Jefferson County High School will be the place to be on Saturday November 8th as the winners of these Confrence Championship Games play in the Super Bowl for their respective Divisions.
(Source: englishmountainfootballconference.com)
Frog Vol Report: NFL Week 7: TITANS Only Unbeaten Team
KANSAS CITY, MO, Oct. 19, 2008
Titans 34 Chiefs 10
The Tennessee Titans remain perfect as they defeated the Kansas City Cheifs on Sunday. LenDale White had a career-high 149 yards and three touchdowns, including an 80-yard run, and rookie, Chris Johnson ran for a career-high 168 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown run. Veteran quaterback Kerry Collins went 11-for-18 for 123 yards.
The Titans who are 6-0 for the first time in their history, and have a divisonal match-up against the Colts on Monday Night Footabll (ESPN)
High School Sports- Video: Gibson gets the edge September 7, 2010
- William Blount vs Bearden photo feature September 4, 2010
- Halls vs Powell photo feature September 4, 2010
- Farragut vs Knox Catholic photo feature September 4, 2010
- Friday Night Lights - Anderson Co. vs. Campbell Co. September 4, 2010
-
Please Vote In Our Poll
Loading ...Comment Wall
Comment Wall RSS Feed