Why is Eric Berry not brought up more with the Vol greats?

[Rockytop10nessee]

Dale Carter couldn't shift? CP is electric like I stated. Dale was electric with the ball in his hands and played multiple positions. There is truly no comparison. Dale would literally not people's heads off as well and is one of the toughest players the balls have ever had. I don't know what your definition of athlete is. I'm taking a Dale Carter all day over CP, sorry.

I like how I criticized you for comparing CP to Leonard Scott and you changed the subject. You could be a politician.. honestly probably a better one than either of the asś clowns that are running lol

Yes Carter was shifty, but not like CP. Only one of them is a top 3-5 returner in NFL history, and it’s not Carter. And I love me some dale.

 

[madbamahater]

I like how I criticized you for comparing CP to Leonard Scott and you changed the subject. You could be a politician.. honestly probably a better one than either of the asś clowns that are running lol

Yes Carter was shifty, but not like CP. Only one of them is a top 3-5 returner in NFL history, and it’s not Carter. And I love me some dale.

You are putting the spin on the spin. I stated Kelly Washington and Leonard Scott were FASTER than CP. Only stated they were faster. Scott was a 2 sport athlete in the SEC. He was a world-class track athlete and champion. I'd say Scott was a pretty darn good athlete. I didn't really compare them like you are suggesting.

In my opinion CP should not be in the same breath as Dale Carter, nor Eric Berry (who this thread is about). I brought up Dale Carter, because I think he is equal to Eric Berry as the best secondary player the Vols have ever had and arguably the best all-around players the Vols have ever had.

To each their own. If you feel CP is the greatest "athlete" on the Hill in it's history, that's your business.

and I'll show major love to Eric's brother, Evan Berry, who may actually be the greatest return man in Vol history. Evan Berry holds college records that CP doesn't and Evan's career was cut short by injury.

Before you criticize me for saying that Evan is better than CP, I'm not, because we really don't know. The facts are that statistically, Evan was better as a return man while at Tennessee than CP

 

[hndog609]

Dale Carter and Carl Pickens athleticism wise may be two of the best on the hill. CP was electric, but Dale just literally clowned folks. Just clowned people, they had no chance. I put Eric Berry up there with Dale Carter. Berry should have had the keys to all kick and punt returns. My goodness, just imagine

Faster than CP were Kelly Washington and Leonard Scott. What was Shawn Bryson's 40 time? Shawn was a fullback, basically, and I believe the fastest guy on those rosters. Is that correct?

Scott was much faster than either in the purest sense. (Actually faster than any footballer we've ever had, and at UT that's saying something, for awhile we were the face of sprinters playing football) Patterson was faster than Kelly with a legit track career. TBH I'd have dropped Robert Meachum's name before Washington's. CP was very athletic but it was his freakish ability at broken field running to go along with that athleticism that was so dangerous.

 

[tn4elvis]

Scott was much faster than either in the purest sense. (Actually faster than any footballer we've ever had, and at UT that's saying something, for awhile we were the face of sprinters playing football) Patterson was faster than Kelly with a legit track career. TBH I'd have dropped Robert Meachum's name before Washington's. CP was very athletic but it was his freakish ability at broken field running to go along with that athleticism that was so dangerous.

CP was the best ball in hand player that’s ever played at Tennessee and maybe the sec. He was walking highlight reel and a legit threat to score from anywhere on the field. I’ve never seen anyone like him.

 

[Vol865]

1a) Dale Carter
1b) Eric Berry

2) Deon Grant

1)Eric Berry

2)everyone else

Respectfully

 

[madbamahater]

CP was the best ball in hand player that’s ever played at Tennessee and maybe the sec. He was walking highlight reel and a legit threat to score from anywhere on the field. I’ve never seen anyone like him.

Please stop. You're essentially comparing CP to a Darren McFadden with ball in hand. There's literally absolutely purely no justification that CP would be anywhere in any kind of discussion with a player like McFadden.

and with all due respect to CP, he couldn't hold Percy Harvin's jock strap. As much as I hate any Gator and Harvin, the truth is the truth.

 

[madbamahater]

This is the best returner in Vol history

 

[vols 30]

not from a fans perspective. But from sports networks and I guess you could ask to why he isn’t more involved with the university.

Too many Horses in the Knoxville area IMHO

 

[tn4elvis]

Please stop. You're essentially comparing CP to a Darren McFadden with ball in hand. There's literally absolutely purely no justification that CP would be anywhere in any kind of discussion with a player like McFadden.

and with all due respect to CP, he couldn't hold Percy Harvin's jock strap. As much as I hate any Gator and Harvin, the truth is the truth.

No he’s just the NFL all time leading kick off return for touchdowns leader with 9. What does McFadden or Percy lead in. Absolutely nothing

 

[madbamahater]

No he’s just the NFL all time leading kick off return for touchdowns leader with 9. What does McFadden or Percy lead in. Absolutely nothing

Lol. CP is a better football athlete than McFadden and Harvin. Happy 4th to you and yours but this is just stupid

 

[tn4elvis]

Lol. CP is a better football athlete than McFadden and Harvin. Happy 4th to you and yours but this is just stupid

You to my Vol friend

 

[Savannahbayvol]

Eric Berry as a freshman was a man amongst boys a true 5 star that played lights out

Yep in my 70+ years of following the Vols I have seen 3 players that looked like they were playing in another world from a talent perspective even when they were a freshman.

1. Eric Berry

2. Reggie White

3. Jamal Lewis

 

[VAVol85]

Every year for the UGA game when CBS would replay Walker blowing up Bates, I would counter by watching Berry destroy Moreno on YouTube, one of my all time favorite football plays.

 

[TENNESSEESLIM]

I don’t know about everyone else, but Berry ranks very high to me. He was a great player, and a great person. Seriously one of the nicest players I’ve ever met.

 

[UTblood4life]

Yep in my 70+ years of following the Vols I have seen 3 players that looked like they were playing in another world from a talent perspective even when they were a freshman.

1. Eric Berry

2. Reggie White

3. Jamal Lewis

Especially jamal

 

[pimo1]

I like how I criticized you for comparing CP to Leonard Scott and you changed the subject. You could be a politician.. honestly probably a better one than either of the asś clowns that are running lol

Yes Carter was shifty, but not like CP. Only one of them is a top 3-5 returner in NFL history, and it’s not Carter. And I love me some dale.

But Dale Carter was a better player than CP period, in college and the NFL.

 

[hndog609]

Just to throw it out there I'm pretty sure in the storied history of UT there's only 1 player that had multiple AA's in college and multiple AP's in the NFL...Berry.

I don't actually know how many there are that can claim that from anywhere but I'm guessing it's a pretty elite list.

 

[FLVOL_79]

He was a head hunter and a ball hawk. One of the best. Still remember the crowd chanting ER...IC BER...RY after he would make a great play.

I remember watching him commit almost 3rd degree manslaughter on that Wisconsin QB back in '08 I think it was.

 

[Rockytop10nessee]

You are putting the spin on the spin. I stated Kelly Washington and Leonard Scott were FASTER than CP. Only stated they were faster. Scott was a 2 sport athlete in the SEC. He was a world-class track athlete and champion. I'd say Scott was a pretty darn good athlete. I didn't really compare them like you are suggesting.

In my opinion CP should not be in the same breath as Dale Carter, nor Eric Berry (who this thread is about). I brought up Dale Carter, because I think he is equal to Eric Berry as the best secondary player the Vols have ever had and arguably the best all-around players the Vols have ever had.

To each their own. If you feel CP is the greatest "athlete" on the Hill in it's history, that's your business.

and I'll show major love to Eric's brother, Evan Berry, who may actually be the greatest return man in Vol history. Evan Berry holds college records that CP doesn't and Evan's career was cut short by injury.

Before you criticize me for saying that Evan is better than CP, I'm not, because we really don't know. The facts are that statistically, Evan was better as a return man while at Tennessee than CP

CP had 2 returns for Tds in 1 year, Evan Berry had 4 in 3 years. Not really sure how you’d say definitively that one was better than the other. Berry had more opportunities as a specialist because CP was a big part of the offense, while Berry was not a contributor on defense. But Only one of them gets mentioned in the same breath as Devin Hester and Dante Hall, and it’s not Berry.

Also, CP ran a 4.42 at the combine. Washington didn’t run at the combine but was clocked at 4.45 and 4.49 at the pro day, so no, he’s not faster than CP.

Last thing, I said, specifically, that CP was the best offensive skill position athlete. Dale Carter would fall in the defensive skill position category.

 

[Savannahbayvol]

Especially jamal

Heard more than one person in the know say JL is the only player they ever saw that could have gone straight to the NFL out of high school

 

[Rockytop10nessee]

But Dale Carter was a better player than CP period, in college and the NFL.

Which has nothing to do with what I said, so it’s irrelevant. You seem to like to argue just for the sake of arguing. Lol.

 

[GAVol]

CP had 2 returns for Tds in 1 year, Evan Berry had 4 in 3 years. Not really sure how you’d say definitively that one was better than the other. Berry had more opportunities as a specialist because CP was a big part of the offense, while Berry was not a contributor on defense. But Only one of them gets mentioned in the same breath as Devin Hester and Dante Hall, and it’s not Berry.

Also, CP ran a 4.42 at the combine. Washington didn’t run at the combine but was clocked at 4.45 and 4.49 at the pro day, so no, he’s not faster than CP.

Last thing, I said, specifically, that CP was the best offensive skill position athlete. Dale Carter would fall in the defensive skill position category.

Willie Gault was a Summer and Winter Olympian and was the mastermind behind the Super Bowl Shuffle. If that’s not greatness, I don’t know what is.

 

[Rockytop10nessee]

Patterson might have been one of the most athletic college players ever but he was very limited by his inability to read defenses and run effective pass patterns. The coaches at that time amazingly figured out some ways to get the ball in his hands at RB and kick returner and he made things happen. But, he could have been one of the all time greats if he could do the little things right. Has had the same problem in the NFL

He’d have been a hall of famer if he’d played running back. I’ve said it since he was at Hutchison.. but hell, he might be a HoFer as a kick returner. Even with his mental struggles, he still has >5200 yards from scrimmage, >13k all purpose yards, 47 total touchdowns, and owns the NFL record for most KO returns for TD all time.

 

[Rockytop10nessee]

Willie Gault was a Summer and Winter Olympian and was the mastermind behind the Super Bowl Shuffle. If that’s not greatness, I don’t know what is.

I agree. Singing the praises of CP doesn’t mean I don’t like other all time great atgletes from Tennessee. Gault, CP, and Carter are all in the top 5 in terms of being freaks of nature.

 

[pimo1]

CP had 2 returns for Tds in 1 year, Evan Berry had 4 in 3 years. Not really sure how you’d say definitively that one was better than the other. Berry had more opportunities as a specialist because CP was a big part of the offense, while Berry was not a contributor on defense. But Only one of them gets mentioned in the same breath as Devin Hester and Dante Hall, and it’s not Berry.

Also, CP ran a 4.42 at the combine. Washington didn’t run at the combine but was clocked at 4.45 and 4.49 at the pro day, so no, he’s not faster than CP.

Last thing, I said, specifically, that CP was the best offensive skill position athlete. Dale Carter would fall in the defensive skill position category.

Let's rock with George Cafego.. He played QB-RB-FB and also returned kicks and punts. He was Number one pick in the Draft.

But as pointed out above Evan Berry and Willie Gault were also better athletes but the best overall was Alvin Kamara. He did less on special teams because he got heavy snaps as a RB. He also was a better receiver than CP lol.

When I was in college at TSU in the early 90's we had seriously two 7 footers with PG skills. I don't even remember their names one was from Memphis the other was from out of state. Neither of them ever made it off the spades table in freshman dorms first semester. The saying was always there is a Micheal Jordan on every corner. It does not matter how physically gifted one is if they don't have the intelligence and discipline to apply it. CP always has been a huge waste of athleticism because that's all he ever had. He has been unable to ever learn and contribute as an actual skill position player. His whole career was built on raw ability. 11 years in the NFL and still cant run routes he has average 27 receptions and 46 carries a year. He is an amazing returner. Easily the best in NFL history statistically but one thing people have to remember is he got those chances because he played on bad teams. He has almost as many career kickreturns as he has receptions. Teams have tried to use him at WR and RB and it hasn't worked out his career avg reception is 9.4 yards. Trust me there were way better athletes than CP at UT over time those guys just ended up playing skill positions on better teams that didn't want to waste them on special teams.

CP is a one-trick pony. He is really shifty and fast....but has bad hands can't run routes and fumbles a lot. Also never translated that shiftiness into returning punts because returning punts takes a lot more skill than returning kicks. This is why good punt returns are usually also good kick returners but the opposite is less often true. I hate coming off as a hater on a former Vol but its true. His one year was less impressive on paper than it was onscreen. There have been a lot of players in UT history that put up similar or better numbers than he did in his one year. history has also shown us his punt return TD was more fluke than anything.. In the NFL he has had 1 punt return (9 yards) and 2 fair catches all in his first 4 years in Minnesota. If he was the super athlete you think he is surely he would have earned more snaps that that? Alvin Kamara has had more punt returns than CP as a franchise RB.