Offensive linemen, at every level of football, get little attention. That is, unless they're offsides, or let opposing defensive linemen sack the quarterback.

That is not the case for Westminster's Josh Berman, a starting senior left tackle for Division III power Salisbury University.

The Sea Gulls' offense, which rarely relies on the pass and employs the triple option, averaged more than 400 yards on the ground in the first seven games of this season.

Salisbury was 6-1 after a 39-15 win over Lake Erie College at its homecoming game Oct. 18. Berman, in his second season as a starter, and his teammates on the line were honored by www.D3football.com after a win earlier this season against Albright.

"We like to shove it down people's throats," said Berman, a Westminster High School graduate, whose left tackle position also protects the blind side of a right-handed throwing quarterback.

Berman gets plenty of attention these days, particularly from his parents, Wendy and Barry Berman.

The couple bought a recreational vehicle a few years ago and drive it from Westminster to every Salisbury game, home or away.

That has meant three home games this season on the Eastern Shore and away games in Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York. (They also planned to attend the Oct. 25 game against Becker College in Worcester, Mass., which was too late for this edition.)

"They ... follow me wherever I go," Berman said. "They go everywhere, man."

Berman's parents normally leave after work Friday afternoons for their journeys to away games.

"We park in a Wal-Mart parking lot on Friday night," Barry Berman said. Then they make the rest of the trip Saturday to arrive in time to tailgate.

Barry Berman said he bought the 33-foot RV a few years ago, and decked it out with a Salisbury football logo and another sticker with uniform No. 50 -- in honor of his son.

Berman's mother is a teacher at West Middle School in Westminster and his father is a tool distributor salesman. Their other son, Brett, was killed in a car accident at age 11 when Josh was 14.

Josh began playing youth football in Randallstown when he was 7. The family moved to Westminster the next year and Josh joined the Wildcats youth team.

Berman, listed at 5-foot-11 and 280 pounds, played four years of football at Westminster High, then attended Carroll Community College for one year.

He was recruited by McDaniel, Frostburg, Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, Shenandoah in Virginia and Middlebury in Vermont -- but picked Salisbury because of its football tradition.

"I could have chosen those other schools and gotten in right away," said Berman.

"I wanted to be at a power," he said of his decision to go to Salisbury. "I wanted to win right away."

Sherman Wood, in his 10th season as head coach at Salisbury, had a record of 60-33 prior to this season. Last year, Salisbury made its first appearance in the NCAA post-season since 2004.

The Sea Gulls were ranked No. 19 in the country in mid-October by the American Football Coaches Association.

Salisbury improved to 5-1 this season with a 58-52 win at St. John Fisher in a four-overtime game in Pittsford, New York.

"It was absolutely the most amazing game I have ever played in," said Berman, whose team racked up 626 total yards, with 529 of those on the ground. "I have never experienced anything like that in my whole football career. It was crazy."

Salisbury tied the game at the end of regulation, then won it when All-American defensive end Jarrell Chandler sacked the Cardinal quarterback on fourth down on the last play of the game.

Last year Salisbury was beaten in the first round of the NCAA playoffs.

Berman does not want that to happen this year.

"We can go as far as we want. It is all up to us," he said.

And Berman's parents will certainly go as far as needed to see him play.

user comments (0)