Alabama fans got their first look at Germie Bernard in a Crimson Tide uniform two weekends ago as he put together a standout performance during the A-Day game. Monday, the transfer receiver spoke in his first interview since joining the Tide from Washington in January.
Bernard is one of four former Washington players to follow first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama. Despite playing in a stacked Huskies receiving corps Bernard is coming off a sophomore season in which he recorded 34 receptions for 419 yards and a pair of touchdowns while adding 43 yards and two more scores on 13 carries. He lived up to those numbers during the A-Day game, leading the Crimson Tide with 122 yards on three receptions.
During an appearance on the “Hey Coach” radio show, Bernard spoke about his first impressions of Alabama and why he followed DeBoer to Tuscaloosa. Here is a full transcription of his first interview with the Crimson Tide.
On how he’s enjoyed his time in Tuscaloosa so far
“It’s been great, man. Nothing but great people around. Obviously, great coaches. I’ve been with them for a year. It was great meeting all the new staff. The strength staff, all the players, they were really welcoming, so it’s been great.”
On why he followed the Washington staff to Alabama
“It’s just the standard that they hold everybody to. I’ve seen what they did in the past years over at Indiana, over at Fresno State and then what they did at Washington. So I know they have a good formula, and the standard is to win.”
On his big A-Day performance
“It is definitely a blessing to be out there. God, he gave me the strength to be out there with the team and have a great A-Day game. I mean, the execution, it just comes from practice, just preparing. I think that we had a great spring. I think the receivers, they had a great spring. Offensively, we definitely produced a lot from the beginning of spring, and I felt like we showed that on A-Day.”
On what makes this offense fun to play in
“Just how explosive it is. Even running the ball. I mean, everybody sees how we pass the ball, but running the ball, like you guys [have] seen Jam [Miller] and Justice [Haynes] before he got hurt in the game. Just how they utilize the players and give the playmakers the ball to make plays.”
On his season at Washington last year
“It was great. Just being in that program, playing behind big-time guys like Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, Jalen McMillon, you learn a lot from those guys. So I just try to take in whatever I can from them and add that to my game.”
On what Kalen DeBoer is like on a game day
“Man, it’s just the same thing every day. He continues to stay consistent, continues to tell us the same things every day, remind us of the standard. He knows how to prepare for games and he makes sure us as a team we’re prepared for games. So going into the game we have a lot of confidence.”
On why it’s fun to play for Alabama WR coach JaMarcus Shephard
“First of all, he’s a man of God, and that is something that I am very big on. And he has definitely pushed me toward my faith. And then just the energy that he brings to the room, how he pushes the guys, how he wants the best out of us.”
On some of the standout players on A-Day
“We got a lot of young guys. We got people that have some experience in games. We got people that can make plays. Our room is going to be something special. We're very underrated, but we're going to show a lot of people what we can do.”
