Commentary: Nevada Recruit Eases Husky Football Angst with 2 Words
It was just a small gesture, a few words really, attached to a University of Washington promotional video.
Yet Germie Bernard's stray post had to be reassuring to those Husky football fans suddenly concerned that Jimmy Lake's recruiters are scaring off prospects rather selling them on the school.
The de-commitments of a pair of Nevada prospects, Liberty High School's defensive tackle Sir Mells and edge rusher/tight end Anthony Jones, now looks more like an anomaly rather than a symptom.
Bernard is a teammate and a wide receiver who carries a higher 4-star rating than his teammates, and he once more he reiterated his intention to play his college football in Seattle with a brief, poignant message.
"Can't wait."
His tweet was attached to a video collage of aerial shots of Husky Stadium, close-ups of excited fans and dated footage of broadcasters gushing over the deafening atmosphere.
"Me and you both brutha," responded Chance Bogan, a tight end from Tacoma's Lincoln High School and the only other member of the UW's 2022 recruiting class so far, once he saw it.
Bernard reaffirmed his commitment shortly after his two high school buddies decided to reopen their recruiting dance. This was confirmation of his reaffirmation.
Now the Huskies have lost or disengaged from orally-committed recruits before with every coaching staff. It's part of the scholarship give-and-take.
Even Chris Petersen reportedly pulled the plug on linebacker Nick Bolton of Frisco, Texas, after the recruit pledged to the Huskies but continued to outwardly entertain overtures from other schools. Ending up with Missouri, Bolton is now awaiting the NFL draft.
What was different this time is two players who are high school teammates and had expressed a strong desire to be college teammates, playing alongside Bernard in both instances, abruptly pulled back their commitments.
Within 24 hours of each other, almost in concert.
This whittled the early returns of the recruiting class from four to two — Bernard and Bogan.
The immediate fan reaction to this Mells and Jones change of heart seemed to suggest to some that Lake's staff must be inept at finding and keeping talent.
Bernard's latest tweet served to further calm the Husky community unrest.
"Can't wait."
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