Tennessee: Fulmer says hurt shoulder has kept Berry from playing QB

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer revealed Tuesday that a shoulder injury has kept versatile safety Eric Berry from playing quarterback.

“Get him over there (at quarterback) and get him tackled 25 times or 20 times or 10 times a game at that point wasn’t something necessarily that we could do,” Fulmer said during his weekly news conference.

But Fulmer said the star sophomore hasn’t been close to sitting out this season.

“He’s managed it pretty well,” Fulmer said, “something after the season they’re probably going to have to look at and make a decision as to what to do about it. Now we’re here at the end of the season and see what he can do.”

Berry leads the Football Bowl Subdivision with six interceptions. His 442 career interception-return yards moved him within 59 yards of the NCAA record held by Terrell Buckley of Florida State.

But Berry’s only offensive production has been a 3-yard reception in Tennessee’s 29-9 loss to Alabama on Oct. 25.

“Just been working on the same few plays all season,” said Berry, who played quarterback in high school at Fairburn, Ga. “No telling what plays he might call. I’m just going to keep focusing on defense until they call my number.”

Berry had already left the media center at Neyland Stadium before he could be reached for comment about Fulmer’s revelation.

After Gerald Jones suffered a high-ankle sprain against Mississippi State, the sophomore wide receiver — who has taken snaps at quarterback in the “G-Gun” package — said after practice Sunday that Berry was getting some repetitions behind the center during practice.

Fulmer, however, wanted to end any further speculation about Berry.

“I’m tired of answering it, so don’t ask me anymore,” Fulmer said. “I don’t have to answer it. What are you going to do to me?”

Fulmer’s future

Fulmer, who agreed to step down after 17 seasons as head coach at UT earlier this month, said he hasn’t ruled out taking on another coaching job elsewhere.

“The fires still burn real deep, to coach and to do that,” he said. “But at the same time, my family’s paid a dear price for a long time, and I may just think about it for a while as to what I want to do.”

Fulmer added that he has sought the advice of former Tennessee coaches Doug Dickey and Bill Battle.

“I think there’s a lot of things I can do,” Fulmer said. “I’m going to take some time and reflect and try to figure that out. If a great opportunity came up that I really felt good about, certainly I would look at that.”

Foster still ailing

Tennessee’s off week didn’t seem to have helped tailback Arian Foster, who is suffering from a thigh bruise that kept him from playing in UT’s 13-7 loss to Wyoming.

“I’m really surprised that his leg hasn’t responded better,” Fulmer said. “He didn’t do much the week of the Wyoming game, had the weekend off, then had a week off. It’s still really ugly and bruised and everything, but I would have thought he’d be past that. Maybe he will be by the end of the week. I don’t think there’s any risk of further injury at all.”