After missing 11 consecutive games of the University of Utah's 2023 season due to injury, University of Utah running back Micah Bernard returned to the field to play in the Las Vegas Bowl.
“I wanted to play in that game to show everyone I'm back. I'm going to make sure I can do this,” Bernard said.
Bernard scored Utah's only touchdown in a 14-7 loss to Northwestern, crying as he hugged fellow running back Charlie Vincent as he crossed the goal line for the first time in 386 days. I took it out, and my emotions overflowed.
“I felt everything lifted off my shoulders,” Bernard said.
The 2023 season came on the heels of an injury-plagued 2022 season for Bernard as well, but Bernard played through the season with 533 yards and 4 touchdowns, 314 receiving yards and Added points.
Bernard said he was “falling in love” with football before spending most of the 2023 season on the sidelines.
“I fell in love with it. Things just don't go my way. Things don't always go my way, but I think I fell in love with it in my body.” Your body is falling apart and it's tough. There are so many injuries and tricks, do you really want to keep going?'' Bernard said.
Running backs coach Quinton Guenther, who played two seasons at Utah from 2004-2005 and five seasons in the NFL, knows what the life of a running back is like like no other. I understand.
“I'm studying the behavior of these kids,” Gunther said. I knew at some point he was going to step away from football. ”
As Guenther previously said, once fall camp begins, very few players will be 100% healthy until the end of the season.
“One of the things I try to encourage them to do is that it's hard for me too. I was once in a place where I was in the NFL and I wanted to walk away. I wanted to walk away. , and the way I encourage them is, if you walk away from this game, you have to understand that this is a young man's game. You're never going to be able to play it again,” said Guenther. said.
“…There will come a time when you will be told that you can't play, right? That's why I don't want to regret it.”
While recovering from his injury, Bernard rediscovered the joy of football and fought to return and play in the Las Vegas Bowl, even though no one would blame him for waiting until the 2024 season to suit up. Ta.
“Just being taken away for three months starts to feel like this is a lifetime. All I know is football. …It made me appreciate what I do more. Thanks. That gave me more motivation for this year,” Bernard said.
That fight and desire carried over into winter conditioning and spring camp, Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig said.
“Yeah, it's not funny what he went through. It's not very exciting, but he's very fired up about coming back to the bowl game and that's what happened in the weight room in January and February. I could see it just carrying over into the work,” Ludwig said.
“And that's the voice of experience, that's the voice of leadership that we need on offense, and Micah Bernard is doing his best.”
Bernard, a veteran leader on the team, has been with the program since 2019. He is willing to do whatever it takes for his team, as evidenced by his playing cornerback against star wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jackson Smith in the 2022 Rose Bowl. There is. Njigba.
“I feel like Cobb,” Bernard said of former Utah wide receiver Britten Covey. Covey's stay in Utah began in 2015 and was extended through the 2021 season as he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After earning a medical redshirt in 2019.
Considering Bernard's leadership qualities and knowledge of the game, Guenther believes he is a future coaching candidate.
“Mika is so bright. He's so bright. This moment is never too big for him. No matter who we're playing against, no matter what it is, he's going to be locked in no matter what. and understand things before they happen,” Guenther said.
“He has a really good memory. If a play happens, he can tell you exactly what happened and why he did something like that. He knows the strategy from top to bottom. His knowledge of the game alone is impressive, almost like a coach.”
In a running back room that includes Jaylon Glover, Mike Mitchell, John Randle Jr., DeJon Stanley and Anthony Woods, Bernard is perhaps the Utes' most versatile running back.
He has caught 69 passes for 620 yards and three touchdowns in his career, making him Utah's best receiver out of the backfield, with great vision and explosiveness among running backs. He is one of Utah's best pass blockers.
He will have a chance to shoot and get a lot of touches as Utah's RB1 this season.
“Micah Bernard looks good,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.
