Germie Bernard wasn't searching for a fresh start in the transfer portal.
But rather, a second chance.
Bernard — a 6-foot 1, 207-pound wide receiver and four-star recruit — signed with Washington after Jimmy Lake's firing and Kalen DeBoer's subsequent hire in December 2021. But after wide-receivers coach Junior Adams unexpectedly left for Oregon, Bernard asked out of his letter of intent and resurfaced at Michigan State.
"With the staff changes and the relationships he had built, he really had to step back for a second and figure it out. In the end he decided at that time that this isn't where he wanted to be," DeBoer told Pac-12 Network in February. "But we had built a strong enough relationship, and I think he really saw and felt what I was saying. But the other piece was, we had to prove it."
The Huskies did exactly that, leading the nation in passing (369.8 yards per game) while producing two 1,000-yard wide receivers — Rome Odunze (75 catches, 1,145 receiving yards, 8 TD) and Jalen McMillan (79, 1,098, 9) — in an 11-2 turnaround. That included a 39-28 win over then-No. 11 Michigan State on Sept. 17, in which Michael Penix Jr. threw for 397 yards and four touchdowns ... while Bernard failed to catch a pass and stood on the road sideline.
Still, Bernard said Wednesday — standing in the same stadium — that "it was actually a fun game, because I was able to play against some of my boys here. It wasn't weird to me. I was just focused on my job and doing the right things when I was in the game."
While his team returned to East Lansing, Mich., Bernard's heart stayed in Seattle. The Las Vegas native began considering a UW reunion "towards the end of my season," he said Wednesday. "Things weren't going the way I expected, so I started thinking of things — what would be the best option for me and my family."
When he entered the transfer portal, there was only one option.
Bernard reached out to Washington — not the other way around.
"When I went into the portal, I didn't want to deal with the recruiting process over again," said Bernard, who caught seven passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games as a true freshman at Michigan State. "I knew where I wanted to go."
So, Bernard went back to the beginning — rejoining perhaps the country's premier wide receiver room. Alongside the likes of Odunze, McMillan, Ja'Lynn Polk, Giles Jackson, Taj Davis and Denzel Boston, game targets will not be easily earned.
But, in his own right, Bernard brings plenty to the table.
"Coming here, I know that we have talent in the room. I just wanted to help elevate the room," he said. "With the NFL guys we already have in the room, I knew I'd be able to learn a lot from those guys. It was something I wanted to be a part of, and I already had relationships with them as well."
Added DeBoer in February: "I just don't know many guys that have the combination of size and speed and ability to catch the ball that he has. I'm super fired up about the work ethic he has and the way he's come in and been so well received already on our team."
Plus, it certainly appears Bernard did not arrive with an attitude. The former Liberty High School standout marveled Wednesday that "I'm loving the environment. I'm loving the new coaching staff. I'm loving the new players. It's very family oriented. I just love to be here and I'm blessed to be here."
On Sept. 16, Bernard will play a former team for the second consecutive season — when Washington travels to Michigan State. But that's not the game that matters most to the sophomore wide receiver.
Because, when Washington hosts Boise State inside Husky Stadium on Sept. 2, he'll be standing on the right sideline.
"It's going to feel great," Bernard said with a smile. "It's going to feel great for my family to be able to watch me here, where I was committed originally. It's going to feel great to be able to show the fans what I have and what I can bring to the table."
UW's Prentice leaves the team
UW redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Owen Prentice has left the team, a university spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. The 6-foot-3, 301-pounder did not play in either of his first two seasons and was buried on UW's depth chart.
A former O'Dea High School standout, Prentice signed with Washington in 2021 over offers from Air Force, Arizona State, Cal, Colorado, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Utah, Virginia and Washington State. He was considered a four-star recruit, the No. 4 player in the state of Washington, the No. 8 interior offensive lineman and the No. 121 overall recruit in the 2021 class by 247Sports.