Berry Running With Some Impressive Company
Oct. 18, 2010
By: Rob Dunning
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – About this time a year ago, Damien Berry was a relative unknown. Recruited out of high school as a safety, Berry spent the first half of his college career playing mostly on special teams. Fast forward to today and Berry is not only carrying Miami’s offense, but establishing himself as the next in line among Hurricane greats at the running back position.
With 111 yards rushing at Duke this past weekend, Berry became just the fifth player at UM since 1975 to record three straight 100-yard games on the ground. The others? Only Willis McGahee, Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis and Frank Gore.
Not bad company.
Berry’s emergence in the Hurricanes’ offense this season has been a long time coming. And in his first and only season as Miami’s primary, go-to back, Berry has emerged as one of the leading rushers in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 539 yards rushing at the mid-way point of Miami’s regular season.
Despite Mike James, Lamar Miller and Graig Cooper all deserving – and getting – carries for Miami this season, Berry has really become the first true workhorse for the `Canes since McGahee’s 282 carry, 1,753-yard campaign in 2002. No UM running back has carried the ball 200 times or reached the 1,000-yard mark since. Berry is on pace to do both.
After 45 yards on just six carries in the opener against Florida A&M, Berry has turned in rushing totals of 94, 87, 101, 101 and 111 the last five games – four of which were on the road. He is also the first back to garner 20+ carries in four straight games under head coach Randy Shannon, a rare and noteworthy feat considering the depth of talent the `Canes boast at running back this year.
His rise to stardom hasn’t changed his attitude. One of the more humbled and selfless players on the 2010 roster, Berry is just as likely to give credit to the ball boy as he is himself for a big game. After a 162-yard performance in his first game at running back against Florida A&M last year, Berry was quick to defer credit.
“I just want to thank the o-line for blocking for me and the coaches for believing in me and helping me do what I have to do when I am on the field,” Barry said in his postgame interview.
Nearly a year and 1,000 yards later Berry is still deferring credit, wanting to praise practically everyone but himself after a game.
Regardless of whether he wants to talk about it or not, the discussion is warranted when you consider what he has accomplished in such a short amount of time on the field.
Like so many of those famous names that carried the ball for Miami in years past, Berry possesses a rare combination of power and speed. His ability to hit the hole and shed tacklers before breaking free is reminiscent of James and Gore. His vision and separation is akin to McGahee and Portis.
Those four have gone on to successful NFL careers. It’s too early to tell whether Berry is in store for the same type of future after college.
Few things are certain though as it pertains to the more immediate future for Berry. He will continue to put the `Canes on his back, carry them as far as he can and then give them credit for getting him there.
However far that may be.
