Jami DeBerry, a former Hilltopper national champion, returned to The Hill in 2017 and enters his second year leading the safeties after spending four seasons at Indiana State, including his final season as the pass defense coordinator and defensive backs coach.
In his second year on The Hill, DeBerry's safety group continued to progress as one of the defense's strongest units. Between senior Drell Greene and sophomore Devon Key, the pair combined for 137 tackles, four interceptions and 12 pass breakups. As a unit, the Hilltoppers were particularly stout in the redzone as they allowed a redzone touchdown just 47 percent of the time, the 11th best mark in the nation and forced a field goal on 37 percent of the opponent's trips inside the 20.
Greene was named to the ProFootballFocus.com National Team of the Week as a safety following the victory over UTEP in which the WKU secondary combined for a school FBS era record five interceptions in the 40-16 victory.
In his return as a full-time assistant coach, DeBerry's safeties contributed to one of the nation's stingiest pass defenses. The Hilltoppers allowed just 11 passing touchdowns to opponents all season, a mark which ranked No. 5 nationally and just three off the nation's top mark. It was the fewest touchdown passes allowed by a WKU team since the 2001 team also allowed just 11 touchdown passes and four fewer than the previous FBS-era low.
Under DeBerry's tutelage, both starting safeties earned postseason accolades as Drell Greene was named All-Conference USA Honorable mention while Devon Key was named to the league's All-Freshman team. Greene and Key also finished No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, on the squad in total tackles while Greene's pair of interceptions tied for the team lead.
The Hilltoppers finished ranked No. 40 nationally in pass defense – an improvement of 79 spots from the previous season - and No. 4 in pass-happy C-USA, allowing just 206.8 yards per game through the air, the fewest by a WKU team since the 2013 squad.
A former WKU linebacker, DeBerry was a part of WKU's 2002 National Championship season under coach Jack Harbaugh, lettering at linebacker, before serving as quality control and graduate assistant on defense from 2008-11.
Prior to the 2016 campaign, DeBerry led the special teams and safeties for the Sycamores from 2014-15, highlighted by their 2014 kickoff return in a crucial game in November against Missouri State. The play, which utilized a "hidden ball trick" setup a long return by freshman Aaron Killebrew resulting in a game-winning field goal by Eric Heidorn. The special teams effort was the No. 3 play on Sportscenter's Top Plays that weekend.
As ISU's safety coach, DeBerry guided Mark Sewall to All-Missouri Valley Football Conference second team honors in 2014 as he ranked second in the league in interceptions (four), tying with teammate Travis Starks. On special teams, DeBerry helped develop snapper Josh Appel and punter Osborn Umeh to Honorable Mention and All-Newcomer honors, respectively.
In 2013, DeBerry coached the Sycamore special teams and tight ends and led kick returner LeMonte Booker to MVFC All-Newcomer honors. Booker tallied 25 kickoff returns for 578 yards including a 97-yard return for a score against No. 1 North Dakota State. Aided by that return, Booker's 173 kickoff return yards was the single-game high that year in the MVFC.
DeBerry added a stop at Kansas in 2012 where he served as a quality control coach on special teams. Prior to his playing days at WKU, DeBerry, a Franklin, Ky. native, starred as a quarterback at Franklin-Simpson where he threw for 2,020 yards and 20 touchdowns on 149-of-275 passing, to go along with 464 yards and 15 scores on the ground as a senior.
THE DEBERRY FILE
PERSONAL
Born: Nov. 10, 1981
Hometown: Franklin, Ky.
College: WKU, `05
Wife: Erika
Children: Emma, Kinlee, and Kyson
PLAYING CAREER (Linebacker)
College: WKU (2000-04)
COACHING CAREER
2008-09: WKU (Graduate Assistant)
2010-11: WKU (Defensive Quality Control)
2012: Kansas (Quality Control)
2013: Indiana State (Special Teams/Tight Ends)
2014-15: Indiana State (Special Teams/Safeties)
2016: Indiana State (Pass Defense Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
2017: WKU (Safeties/Recruiting Coordinator)
2018: WKU (Safeties/Co-Special Teams Coordinator)
