BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Ferris State senior quarterback Jared Bernhardt has had an incredible journey to Big Rapids.
Bernhardt was one of the top triple-option quarterbacks at Lake Brantley High School in Florida but opted to play college lacrosse at The University of Maryland.
That decision proved to be a good one, at least potentially, as he was one of the nation's top lacrosse players as a finalist for the Tewaarton Award, which is college lacrosse's version of the Heisman trophy.
However, there are some that believe he may have made a better football player, as crazy as it sounds after the success he found in lacrosse.
After graduating at Maryland, Bernhardt opted to transfer to Ferris State University to play quarterback for Tony Annese.
In his first game of 2021, he would throw for 218 yards and add another 120 on the ground with seven total touchdowns in the 54-14 win over Findlay.
The following week, Bernhardt ran for 210 yards with 86 through the air in the win over Ashland, but he was injured in the game.
Bernhardt would sit for three weeks with fellow quarterbacks Evan Cummins and Mylik Mitchell filling in and playing extremely well.
On Saturday night in the annually rivalry against Grand Valley State, Bernhardt not only suited up but looked good enough in warm-ups to start the game for the Bulldogs.
60 minutes of football later, Bernhardt had led the Bulldogs to a 35-28 win over their arch-rival with 333 total yards and two touchdowns.
"I'm proud of Jared to fight through all the challenges he's faced, health wise," Annese said, "he's just a winner, man. We like the quarterback run game, Jared felt good and we just kept riding that horse," he added.
It's been a crazy journey from Florida, to Maryland and now West Michigan.
"I just try to execute the gameplan," Bernhardt said after the fifth straight win over the Lakers, "our coaches do a great job and we have a lot of great players, I just take it play by play."
It certainly looks as if a healthy Bernhardt could lead Ferris State to another big season in 2021.
