All Jared Bernhardt wants is an opportunity. It doesn’t matter how massive or small the window of alternative is, Bernhardt solely wants a approach in, and he’ll maintain the remaining.
When Maryland males’s lacrosse signed Bernhardt out of Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, Florida, in 2017, he developed into one of many high gamers in program historical past, setting faculty information whereas being a soft-spoken but galvanizing chief for one of many nation’s high groups.
After 5 years with the Terps, Bernhardt determined to forgo enjoying skilled lacrosse and rekindle his ardour for soccer, a sport he performed in highschool. When Ferris State coach Tony Annese gave Bernhardt the possibility to play for the Bulldogs as a quarterback, the Florida native thrived, main the staff to a Division II nationwide championship.
“He was one of the best football players I’ve coached in my 35-year coaching career,” mentioned Annese, who has been at Ferris State since 2011. “He’s a pure winner.”
Now, Bernhardt faces maybe the chance of a lifetime. The Atlanta Falcons signed Bernhardt as an undrafted free agent final month, giving him an opportunity to proceed to play soccer, an thought he mentioned along with his late father and former Houston Texans assistant, Jim.
But after years of being one of the best participant on the sector in lacrosse and soccer, Bernhardt is making an attempt to earn a spot within the league as a large receiver, a place he has by no means performed till now.
“It’s a different level,” Bernhardt mentioned. “All you can do is put your head down and take in as much information as possible.”
During the Falcons’ rookie minicamp, Bernhardt realized the steep studying curve in entrance of him. While practising, it was evident that the gamers round him had been a number of steps forward and his soccer IQ wasn’t the place he wished it to be. Bernhardt has been making an attempt to soak up as a lot info as potential on the receiver place whereas making a play fashion that’s distinctive to him.
“Being a precise route runner [and] understanding how to move defenders out of their spot to get open, I think that’s something he’s going to have to learn,” Annese mentioned.
A couple of days in the past, Maryland graduate pupil and lacrosse midfielder Anthony DeMaio was on FaceTime with Bernhardt, who was finding out be aware playing cards with completely different performs. Even although Bernhardt lacks expertise in contrast with different younger gamers within the NFL, he strives to be one of the best at all the things he does.
“It’s nonstop,” mentioned DeMaio. “His whole life revolves around being the best.”
For DeMaio and Bernhardt’s brother, Jesse, it was not stunning to see him transition to soccer. Jared Bernhardt was a soccer star at Lake Brantley, totaling greater than 4,000 all-purpose yards and 30 touchdowns over his last two seasons. Even although he elected to play lacrosse for the Terps as a substitute of soccer on the Naval Academy, his love for the gridiron remained.
Bernhardt thought-about returning to soccer throughout his junior yr at Maryland however hardly ever mentioned his ambitions along with his teammates or coach John Tillman. He wished to give attention to the lacrosse subject, the place he gained the 2021 Tewaaraton Award — faculty lacrosse’s model of the Heisman Trophy — whereas setting the varsity’s file in profession factors (290), objectives (202), single-season factors (99), single-season objectives (71), objectives in a single NCAA Tournament (18) and factors in a single NCAA Tournament (24).
Once lacrosse was over, nevertheless, Bernhardt transferred to Ferris State to fulfill the urge of enjoying soccer once more.
“We grew up in a football family, so it was our first love and passion from a sports standpoint,” mentioned Jesse, a former lacrosse participant and present assistant coach at Maryland. “I think [Jared] still had that itch down the stretch, so when the opportunity presented itself, it’s one of those where you don’t get too many of them.”
Even although Bernhardt had the athleticism, lateral motion and familiarity with the choice offense — which he thrived in throughout highschool — to achieve success, there was nonetheless uncertainty about how good he could be in his lone season at Ferris State. After all, it had been years since he performed the game.
Bernhardt didn’t care if he performed or not. He merely wished to do no matter it took to assist the Bulldogs win a nationwide championship.
Bernhardt mentioned he had to enhance as a passer however turned out to be extra environment friendly than anticipated, throwing for 1,322 yards, 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. “It wasn’t a strong suit for me, but that was something that I was determined to show [Annese] and the rest of the team that I was able to do that,” he mentioned.
Bernhardt additionally rushed for 1,421 yards and 26 touchdowns, impressing the coach along with his bodily working potential and talent to generate yards after contact. Despite Bernhardt’s dominance on the sector, his degree of preparation stood out probably the most.
“[Bernhardt] is a very diligent guy with attention to details,” Annese mentioned. “Before he came in, he studied our system, knew our offense and terminology.”
Just like in lacrosse, Bernhardt excelled when it mattered most. Seven months after Maryland’s loss to Virginia within the NCAA Division I nationwide championship sport, Bernhardt ran for 148 yards and three scores to steer Ferris State to a 58-17 victory over Valdosta State within the Division II title sport, securing an ideal 14-0 season.
“It was very cool to step back and see him enjoy that and have fun,” Jesse mentioned.
Bernhardt’s arrival to Atlanta mirrors that of Ferris State, as he’s making an attempt to make a reputation for himself regardless of not understanding the place the subsequent few months will take him.
Still, Bernhardt has confirmed that he can meet any problem thrown at him. All he wants is a chance.
“No matter where [Bernhardt] is, he’s going to take any chance he gets,” DeMaio mentioned. “That’s how he is day-to-day.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com