Miami Hurricanes RB and Glades Central grad Damien Berry realizes he's the main man now

Miami Hurricanes RB and Glades Central grad Damien Berry realizes he's the main man now

CORAL GABLES — After suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in high school, then finding himself near the bottom of the depth chart last spring, University of Miami running back Damien Berry still had faith that at some point he would be the man.


Now as UM goes through its spring practices, it appears that Berry, a 5-foot-11, 217-pound tailback from Glades Central, will be the 'Canes No. 1 back this season.

Berry earned UM head coach Randy Shannon's trust after becoming UM's second-leading rusher last year despite not carrying the ball until the fifth game of the season and splitting time with two other backs.

Shannon said the emphasis this spring is to polish the other parts of Berry's game.

"He emerged as a guy that can come in and run the football inside," Shannon said. "Like we told him, 'Now you have to become the complete guy. You've got to be a guy that can pass protect, run routes, run outside and do other things beside just run up the middle.'"

If he has to adjust, it shouldn't be a problem for Berry.

As a senior at Glades Central in 2006, Berry played the entire season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, foregoing surgery until he led the school to a state championship.

And when he entered spring practice last year far down on the running back depth chart, he didn't flinch.

"I was focused on giving them a reason to play me," Berry said.

And Berry did just that, rushing for 114 yards in UM's spring game, then snowballing that effort into a sensational junior campaign.

Splitting time with Javarris James and Graig Cooper, Berry finished with 616 yards, averaging 77 yards in nine games while topping the Hurricanes in yards per carry (6.6) and rushing touchdowns (8). His 77 yards-per-game average puts him just under the 1,000-yard mark for a 12-game regular season. The Hurricanes haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Willis McGahee in 2002.

So this season appears to be Berry's.

Gone is James, who started seven games last season and has since graduated. And Cooper, the starter in UM's remaining six games, is recovering from major knee surgery and it's uncertain if he'll be available for the 2010 season.

"Being [the starter] is a big step, but any guy that laces them up here envisions himself being the man," running backs coach Mike Cassano said. "Especially skill guys. Damien is no different. He plays with a chip on his shoulder. He sees himself as an NFL running back and wants to prove that to everyone."

UM fans don't need convincing.

Berry's hard-charging style made him a favorite with the home crowd last season. In the second half of UM's game against Duke on Nov. 21, fans began chanting "Berry, Berry" in an attempt to coax Shannon into playing him.

Shannon complied and Berry rewarded his supporters by sparking a rally and scoring the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter during the Hurricanes' 34-16 win.

Teammates won't let Berry live down the fans' chants. It's rare that he enters UM's locker room without players greeting him with, "Berry!, Berry!" Guard Joel Figueroa sometimes breaks out the chant when Berry enters the class the two seniors share.

"They joke with him about it all the time," cornerback Brandon Harris said. "He doesn't like it. He's a very humble guy."

But Berry doesn't lack confidence, and knows that his time is now.

"I'm going to be the man," he said.