Wofford College Athletics

A native of Cheraw, S.C., DeBerry graduated in 1960 from Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., where he lettered in football and baseball. DeBerry played second base and shortstop in baseball and flanker, defensive back and linebacker in football. He is a member of the Wofford Hall of Fame.

After six years of coaching and teaching in the South Carolina high school ranks, DeBerry returned to Wofford, where he stayed two years as an assistant when Wofford won 21 consecutive games and was ranked No. 1 in the NAIA. Wofford played Texas A&I for the national small college championship. However, it was during a nine-year stop at Appalachian State in Boone, N.C., where his work with the wishbone began to blossom.

DeBerry served as head coach at Air Force for a brilliant 23-year career which concluded with his retirement on Dec. 15, 2006. He earned 17 winning marks in his 23 seasons at Air Force, directing his teams to 12 bowl games. He claimed three Western Athletic Conference championships and directed the 1998 squad to a 12-1 finish and a No. 10 ranking, capping the only back-to-back 10-win seasons in school history.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December of 2011.