Interview with Eric Berry

“Many changes in the defense this season?

EB: They’ve put in a lot of new coverages, a lot of formations. Right now, they’re talking about blitzing me and Morley more. We’re opening it up. I think Chief (defensive coordinator John Chavis) feels real comfortable about the defense this year. He’s getting down to the nitty-gritty and has been in the lab.”

Note to self: refer to Chavis as “Chief”, does the fluid D-Line make its debut at Florida?

Where might we see you on offense this year?

EB: At quarterback. I did it some in the spring, under center and in the shotgun. In high school, we ran the triple-option, so the reads were easy.

We ran the option?! Now we can learn to defend it! The world is ours!

Sort of like getting back on a horse, huh?

EB: Well, I’m scared of horses, but it was like getting back on a bike.

Sort of telegraphs the kryptonite, but to my knowledge, horses are not allowed on the field.

Do you want to play on special teams this year?

EB: Yeah, I want to block for Dennis Rogan (on punt returns). That’s our goal this year. We want to get Rogan to the house. I told him, ‘We’re going to take care of the other stuff. You’ve just got to get past the punter this year.’ I joke with him about that all the time. He’ll shake DBs and make a linebacker miss, but he gets to the punter and freezes up. I’m like, ‘Rogan, come on, man.’

Hilarious. This is the second time I’ve heard that Berry has springing Rogan for a TD on punt returns a major goal for the season, but I absolutely love it. And that kind of teasing is great for chemistry.

With Dave Clawson taking over the offense, how much different do those guys look?

EB: I see a lot of new stuff. This summer, while we were doing our individual stuff, they had a lot of crazy stuff in there. If you pick something to do (defending it), you’re going to be wrong regardless. That’s the thing I’ve picked up on. I might break on one route, and the wide receiver is turning it into something else and now I’m mad because I was covering this route and thought I had it and he’s turning it into something else … and I’m (peeved).

Wrong regardless? I like it. Crazy stuff? I love it.

...was the Chavis has “been in the lab.” Warms the heart.

This sort of stuffed gets me SO excited for Labor Day, well actually, Aug. 30th, but who’s counting. If the Clawfense can confuse the best safety in college football, then we should have no problems with any secondary. And “Chief’s been in the lab”, look out!

sightings of Eric Berry around campus do indicate that he’s added muscle and is looking noticeably bigger.

Can’t wait for the first game.