Dec. 31, 2009

BY Eric Berry, For Sporting News Today

A few weeks ago, I was named the Thorpe Award winner as the nation's best defensive back. It was a very humbling experience to see all the names of everybody else who actually won.

But I think the best part of the award was just me having a good time at the ceremony with all the guys. I got a chance to kind of chill with everyone outside of football, relax a little bit. I got to spend some time with Joe Haden and Earl Thomas along with Mark Ingram, Big (Terrence) Cody and the Pouncey twins. It was a good experience.

Playing in the Chick-fil-A Bowl is a homecoming for me. I'm very excited to play back at home. Last time we played in the Georgia Dome, the 2007 SEC championship game, we lost. So I hope we can get that victory this time around. In high school, we had our state semifinals there, but we never made it. Us being able to play there now is a big deal just seeing how I didn't get a chance in high school. I have like 30 people coming, including my family, my girl, my high school coaches and my friends.

Playing against Virginia Tech should be interesting. They have a great running back in Ryan Williams and a very good quarterback in Tyrod Taylor who can throw the ball and run. Just their ground attack in general is very good.

I've looked at Williams on tape. He's a very good athlete, runs hard, is very fast and has very good vision. I think that's one of the best things he does have is his vision and the way he breaks tackles. Just the way he comes back every play whether it's the first quarter or the third quarter or the fourth quarter, he's going to run it the same. We just have to be prepared every play.

Being eight interception return yards away from breaking Terrell Buckley's (NCAA career) record is on my mind just because I like to make plays. If it happens, it happens, but at the same time, I can't do anything about the fact that people haven't been throwing my way. I feel like it's a good accomplishment anyway, seeing the fact that people have learned not to throw my way.

Coach (Monte) Kiffin talked to me about it, saying that the same thing happened to Ronde Barber one time. He had a year where he had like eight interceptions, and then the next year he had one or two. He just told me to just keep playing hard and keep making the plays I can make.

-- As told to Roger Kuznia

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