Micah Bernard: I Knew Coming Back To Utah Was The Right Choice For Me
Apr 20, 2023, 10:59 AM
SALT LAKE CITY – When Micah Bernard put his name in the NCAA Transfer Portal shortly after the Rose Bowl, it seemed like a forgone conclusion he’d be suiting up somewhere else in 2023. Fate, however, had different plans and Bernard says that ultimately, he knew coming back was the right choice.
Bernard has been a key player in Utah’s offense since 2021 and quickly became a fan favorite after attempting to play three-ways in the 2022 Rose Bowl against Ohio State because that’s what his team needed him to do. Naturally, that made the thought of him not ending his career as a Ute a hard one.
The talented back recently talked a little about why he put his name in the transfer portal, why it worked for him to come back, and the entire process to get to that point.
Ever wonder if @MrGo30 and @ctb_mb talked about “I play running back!?!” @BodkinKSLsports had to ask at the @utah_open and this is what Bernard had to say. #GoUtes #UteProud pic.twitter.com/gV6cvZy6Uw
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 18, 2022
Micah Bernard’s Second Homecoming
Bernard wouldn’t fully disclose why he initially put his name in the portal but did reveal there were some things in the background that made him feel that was the right decision in that moment.
“There were some things that happened, that honestly, put me in the portal,” Bernard said. “I’m not going to disclose those things, but just coming back, I knew it was the right choice for me because I have been here for so long already and it was just easy to come back rather than leave. I love everybody on this team, they are my brothers, and it was hard to even think about leaving them. Being able to come back, it was easy for me. It was easy to make that decision.”
There aren’t too many people who have come back to the Utes after putting their name in the portal and that may be partially due to having to talk to head coach Kyle Whittingham about why they should be allowed back which would be intimidating for anyone. However, Bernard said there was an open, honest dialogue throughout the process between him and the coaches that in the end led him back to Utah.
Sources indicate @Utah_Football
running back @ctb_mb is on his way back to the #Utes after a brief stint in the #NCAATransferPortal.#GoUtes #IPlayRunningBack #UteProud #UBoyzhttps://t.co/6EjPzIYa4a— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 27, 2023
“The conversation was very welcoming,” Bernard said. “Coach wanted me back. There were a lot of times I talked to him on the phone while in the process still and I listed everything I was being told. Those guys want the best interest for you, so if they think it’s ok for you to leave, they are going to tell you. If they want you back, they are going to tell you. They said, ‘we want you here, but we are going to do what you want to do’ and that’s ultimately what we did. I decided, it was my choice to come back.”
“In order for us to leave, the best thing to do is talk to head coach,” Bernard continued. “We already had that conversation before I even decided to enter into the portal. If that’s what you want to do, you can, and if you decide to stay, you can. It was up to me, but they would welcome me back.”
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @BodkinKSLsports
