Like it or not, Jason Berryman is back. The 2003 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, who spent 258 days in jail for theft and assault, will be back on the field when the ISU football team meets Illinois State on Sept. 3.

Berryman recorded 110 tackles as a true freshman in 2003, then spent the entire 2004 campaign behind bars.

Now he’s back with a new attitude, and a desire to be remembered for what he did on the field, not off of it.

Returning to the team, Berryman said he took it upon himself to show them his commitment.

“I tried to prove myself to myself first,” Berryman said after practice on Tuesday. “I’m trying to get myself to where I wanted to be, as far as playing shape, as far as academically, as far as being a man – trying to get myself better. By letting myself become better, I have shown other people that I have become better. And I’m not finished either.”

After showing himself he was back, it was Berryman’s time to earn back trust.

“As far as [my teammate’s] full respect, I’m sure I don’t have everyone’s full respect yet, and that’s something I’m working on,” he said.

ISU coach Dan McCarney made the decision to bring Berryman back to the team.

“I’m sure it wasn’t unanimous when I made the decision to bring him back,” McCarney said. “There were lots and lots of players who wanted him to have the opportunity, but I’m not going to sit here and tell you it was 100 percent. Slowly but surely he garnered great respect as a man, as a person, as a citizen.”

Senior safety Nik Moser played with Berryman in 2003, and said the team is happy to have another weapon at its disposal.

“Once he was back, we accepted him wholeheartedly,” Moser said.

“You don’t hear a lot from him. He just goes out there and does his job. You’re not worried about him making a mistake, he just goes out there and does his job.”

Everything about his life after rejoining the team has been geared to prove he had made a full recovery.

“By doing everything right,” Berryman said. “By being on time for meetings, going to class, being accountable on and off the field – these are some of the things I’m doing to try to earn my credibility back.”

Berryman has earned a starting position since practices began.

“It feels pretty good, I can’t deny that,” Berryman said. “Whether it’s 70 snaps or one snap, I just want to do anything I can to help the team win.”

The fight for playing time has been fierce between Berryman and seniors Shawn Moorehead and Cephus Johnson.

Moorehead tallied 46 tackles last season, recording 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

Johnson had 23 tackles last year, although he missed three games with a knee injury.

McCarney said although Berryman and Moorehead have been tabbed as starters, Johnson will still see plenty of playing time.

“Cephus Johnson didn’t throw up a white flag,” McCarney said. “He’s a senior who wants to play good for Iowa State, have a great senior year and hopefully play in the NFL. He got beat out by Moorehead and Berryman, but he’s going to play a lot on Saturday. You’ll see No. 43 out on the field Saturday night, that’s how strongly we feel about all three of those guys.”