Washington to Michigan State to Washington to Alabama—that’s former Washington receiver Germie Bernard’s journey, but certainly not his chosen path.

On the surface, Bernard’s journey will look like he’s a wayward soul, but that’s not the case.

Not.

Even.

Close.

He personified commitment before the world of college football let him down.

He originally committed to the Washington Huskies when Chris Petersen was head coach.  He had a tremendous relationship with several Husky and would-be Husky players and then receivers coach Junior Adams.

In the months between his commitment and his target early enrollment he racked up over 15,000 air miles on 9 trips between his hometown Las Vegas and his adopted home, Seattle.

That’s a huge financial commitment and investment in his future.  He was building a bond with UW quarterbaCk commit Sam Huard.  The duo were working on a connection that would surely break passing and receiving records at Washington.

Then Chris Petersen retired at the end of the 2019 season, and still Bernard held fast with his pledge to Washington.  Through rough two seasons of Jimmy Lake who was fired at the end of 2021 season he never really waived from his commitment.   until he was let go.

Adams was initially retained as receivers coach by Kalen DeBoer, but decided at the last minute to take the same position at Oregon.

Bernard did not to follow Adams to Eugene.  However, with no connection to the new staff at Washington he asked to be released from his letter of intent.

As a 4-star receiver at Liberty High School in Las Vegas, Bernard was more than infatuated with Washington.  He took 11 trips to the Emerald City, including one this past September with the Michigan Spartans.  Those trips include an official visit and 8 other trips where he paid his own way.

One of his trips to Seattle was during the Pandemic and the campus under lockdown.  He couldn’t meet with the coaches, he wasn’t able see the facilities, he wasn’t allowed study the playbook, and he couldn’t feel the connections he’d forged with who were supposed to his future teammates and coaches.

Across Lake Washington, at Ford Sports Performance in Bellevue he was able to connect with a couple of friends and future teammates in quarterback Sam Huard, and Jabez Tinae.  Also there was then Arizona State commit receiver Lonyatta Alexander, Jr., and Ohio State receiver pledge Emeka Egbuka.

Bernard and Huard were originally offered by Chris Petersen and the only two players to be offered by Petersen as sophomores.

Two years later and the grown up world of college football he was left twisting in the wind in his hotel room.

Bernard reached out to coaches who he’d connected with or had friends on teams.  He finally chose East Lansing, Michigan where he’d play for Mel Tucker and with be reunited with his friend and QB Katin Houser who played ball at Liberty before transferring to St. John Bosco in California.

Lightly used his freshman year, Bernard was convinced by some old friends Jalen McMillan, Rome Odunze and others to turn to Washington where he had a sold season.  He caught 34 passes for 419 yards; carried the ball 13 times for 43 yards; returned 3 punts for 43 yards and 10 kickoffs for 233 yards.

He also proved to be a lethal blocker in the passing and running game.

And then big boy football came in again as DeBoer took the head coaching job at Alabama where he visited this weekend after jumping back into the Transfer Portal earlier in the week.

According to a source, Bernard’s commitment to the Crimson Tide may come as early as today.

He’ll likely make one final trip to Seattle to say goodbye to some friends and to grab some well-traveled suitcases.