For some, you’ve got to hunt to eat.

Coeur d’Alene High senior linebacker/running back Drew Berger does it a little differently than others.

Instead of bears and other wildlife, he’s looking for quarterbacks, running backs and whoever else has the football in their hands.

Breaking news: He’s still hungry.

Berger, 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, verbally committed to Boise State in August. It is there that he picked up his celebration — where he pretends to eat food — at the conclusion of a big play.

“I got it from the players at Boise State,” Berger said. “I went to the game against Louisiana-Lafayette, and the players do it after a big play. It kind of says ‘we eat, we’re coming,’ so I thought I’d borrow it for a little bit.”

After seven games, Berger has 50 tackles — 25 assisted and 25 solo — for the Vikings (6-1) this season.

“I really like playing linebacker,” Berger said, “popping skulls and getting in there and getting into the grind. I think that’s my favorite spot.”

His biggest games on defense, as it so happens, have been in the Vikings’ biggest games, with 11 tackles against Ferris and seven against Highland.

He also leads the team in rushing with 216 yards after seven games.

“I love that too,” said Berger of playing running back. “I kind of use my linebacker mentality and run as hard as I can at people and try to score touchdowns.”

He’s done that on defense also — with three interception returns for touchdowns — in wins against Central Valley, Ferris and Hermiston.

“I like to think I do a good job of reading what the quarterback is doing,” Berger said. On one of the pick-sixes, “I saw him going to try a quick out to a receiver, and the lineman tipped it and I caught it at the right spot and just took off.”

He’s averaging 58.3 yards per interception return.

Before committing to BSU, Berger also had interest from Southern California, Washington State, Oregon and UCLA before deciding that his best bet was Boise.

“I felt that was the place for me,” Berger said. “Especially with where I’m at right now. I think everything’s good right now.”

While attending a camp at USC, the Broncos’ original plan of having Berger play offense changed.

“(Boise State linebackers) Coach (Andy) Avalos was there and helping with the camp,” Berger said. “After watching a few drills, they decided they were just going to have me be a full-time linebacker.”

“I think they know what they’re doing,” Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos said. “I think they’ll have a good college linebacker down the road. He’s got to adapt to the college game, but I think he’ll be able to play at that level.”

Berger has been invited to play in the Semper Fi All-American Bowl on Jan. 4, 2015 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

It will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.

At BSU, Berger will reunite with former Coeur d’Alene High standout Chase Blakley, who is redshirting tight end as a freshman.

“He loves it, and the environment,” said Berger of Blakley. “He’s down there working hard to get better for next year. He loves it for sure.”

Berger often refers to Blakley as a “brother.”

“We started hanging out his sophomore year,” Berger said. “We started growing closer and closer and when he started to go through some family trouble, he started living with us.”

Having Blakley in Boise already will benefit Berger, he believes.

“I think it’s going to be a huge advantage,” Berger said. “I know some of the other guys, but not as close as Chase does. So walking in with a good friend and brother, I think that will be a good thing.”

Through Blakley, Berger developed a relationship with another BSU recruit — Shadle Park quarterback Brett Rypien, who signed with the Broncos in September and will enroll in school in January.

“We’re really good friends now,” said Berger of Rypien. “Chase knew him a little bit, and I knew him off and on from going to camps. Then, we had a photo shoot in Spokane and went on our official visit together (the weekend of Sept. 26). Now, we’re pretty close and it’s a good relationship for sure.”

They’ll even text each other following games to see how the other did.

Coeur d’Alene and Shadle Park didn’t get the chance to play against each other this year when Greater Spokane League teams opened their schedules to play some nonleague games against Inland Empire League schools, but did face off in 7-on-7 drills during summer camps.

“He’d been committed to BSU and I hadn’t yet,” Berger said. “It was cool to see him play. It kind of helped my decision because I was confident that Boise was getting a good quarterback and they’re on the uprise and on a comeback. That really helped my decision a lot.”

While Berger enjoyed those GSL games — with two interception returns for touchdowns — he admitted it might have been good to face Shadle at least once.

“It was much needed to play those teams and create a stir around them,” Berger said. “Yeah, I think it would have been fun to play against Brett. I think he might have been a little scared to go against me, but who knows.”

Berger even weighed graduating early, but wanted to finish the school year here.

“I thought about it pretty heavily,” Berger said. “But I just decided to finish out the year and just enjoy it.”

Berger ran for a season-high 66 yards in the Vikings’ 31-27 win against Hermiston, 43 coming on a touchdown run in the second quarter to give his team the lead.

“I grew up watching Walter Payton and just how hard he ran,” Berger said. “That really shaped my game a little bit and just seeing how hard he ran.”

Berger got his first start on varsity as a sophomore in the state 5A championship game against Madison High in Pocatello.

“That was a really big game,” Berger said. “I was nervous, but I got it together before the game. I thought we played really well. We didn’t get the win that time, but I think our team played really well. It was a great experience.”

Whether leading in the weight room or on the football field, Berger’s drive to get better is obvious.

“I think it’s just my competitive nature,” Berger said. “How I grew up, my family is always trying to get something done. I think it has to do with my personality.”

“I think he’s made strides in that area,” Amos said. “He does a good job of bringing some energy to practice and the games — sometimes too much energy — but he’s certainly bringing it to our guys.”

For the final time in the regular season, he’ll bring that energy to Viking Stadium on Friday night as Coeur d’Alene hosts the Lake City Timberwolves in a 5A Inland Empire League showdown.

As far as insight goes, Berger got a few tips from Rypien, whose team lost 56-34 to the Timberwolves on Sept. 19 in Coeur d’Alene.

“He told me they’re fast and physical,” Berger said. “He just said to try your hardest. I haven’t thought too much about it, but he gave me some tips for sure.”

“He played a lot last year and got some really good experience,” Amos said of Berger. “He’s certainly taken a big step this year as a football player. He’s certainly a powerful kid, and this year more than last, he really enjoys coming out to practice and I think he’s more focused on making himself a better football player.”

And a player, that’s looking to get his fill on the football field.