Safety Eric Berry, a junior from Fairburn, Georgia, was named the Jim Thorpe Award winner on December 10, 2009, on his second trip to the finals for the award. The Jim Thorpe Award for the best defensive back in college football was created in 1986. It was conceived by former Oklahoma City talk show host Ed Sossen and W. Lynne Draper, the Jim Thorpe Association executive director, as a way to do something positive to promote Oklahoma. The award was immediately accepted as one of the nation’s top collegiate sports honors. Winners are judged on their performance on the field, athletic ability, and character.