SCOTT — Acadiana linebacker Derreck Bercier uses the football field to express himself, and whatever energy is pent up during the week is unleashed on Friday nights.
"They always told me it was legal violence. So I started out when I was 7. They always had me hitting older kids, tackling people. And to me, it was fun." Bercier expresses. "I go out there like I'm a spartan off 300. I aim to kill. Because you came to my field. And you think you gone win this game. And that's disrespectful to me."
Bercier channeled that warrior mentality into 101 tackles in 2019, including 8 TFLs and 2 forced fumbles. He earned 5A all-state and all-Acadiana honors.
"it's the heart that he plays with," Acadiana assistant coach Cade Dawes says. "He's always going, giving 110 percent. It sounds cliché to say but he really does. He never takes a play off."
Bercier saved possibly his best performance for the biggest stage. In the 5A championship versus Destrehan, he was arguably the star of the game. He finished with 8 tackles, a forced fumble and a safety, all while helping to limit Alabama commit Kyle Edwards to 47 yards rushing.
"The coaches telling me that this running back, he gone run over us," Bercier says. "He gone do what he want to us. He gone basically come over here and treat us like we’re nothing. Many college coaches thought he was the best running back in the state. For me to go and hit him repeatedly, to me that’s great.”
The Rams defense held the Wildcats to only 3 points and 140 yards in that title victory. For Bercier entering his senior season, being able to repeat that success as a team is more important than any personal goals.
“A person individually could dominate and show that he’s the best in the world," Bercier explains. "But why, when I could let my team eat as well. I want everyone to be the best.”
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