I love playing linebacker. It’s been awesome. – Francis Bernard
PROVO — When BYU sophomore Francis Bernard was making the switch from running back to linebacker last spring, things didn’t always go smoothly.
“It was hard,” Bernard recalled recently. “I definitely was taking a big risk making this transition.”
As a freshman last fall, Bernard rushed 52 times for 334 yards and seven touchdowns. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry. Bernard ended up as the team’s second-leading rusher and it appeared he was a budding star as a running back.
Then, prior to spring ball, the new coaching staff talked to the 6-foot-1, 239-pounder from Herriman about playing linebacker instead. Bernard accepted the new role, but during the spring, there were times when he missed playing with the offense.
Now, more than a week into fall camp, his transition is becoming more complete.
“When I first started in the spring, I had my head everywhere. But as time goes on, you get it,” Bernard said. “During the summer, my teammates helped me be more comfortable and confident at the linebacker position. I’m able to do things now that I wasn’t able to do in the spring. It didn’t come natural to me at first, but now it does. I’m a linebacker now.”
The Cougars have a crowded running back room with Jamaal Williams, Algernon Brown, Squally Canada, Trey Dye and others in the mix. That’s part of the reason why the defensive coaches approached Bernard before spring ball and convinced him to become a linebacker. The coaches also told him they believe he has a future in the National Football League as a linebacker.
“I looked at it as more about my future, going forward, playing in the NFL,” Bernard said. “I’ve heard from the coaches, who have talked to the scouts, that they think I’d be more successful at the NFL level playing defense. Because of my athleticism, they thought I would make a good linebacker. That had a big influence on me moving over to linebacker.”
Defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki said Bernard’s switch to linebacker has gone “really good. Francis brings physicality. He’s really smooth. He’s a big-time ‘backer.”
“Francis is turning some heads,” said defensive end Sae Tautu. “He’s coming from the offensive side but he’s just a football player.”
Coach Kalani Sitake said Bernard is talented enough to play both sides of the ball but the defense needs him at linebacker.
“The game is easy for him. He’s a natural at linebacker,” Sitake said. “He can play running back right now too, but we have a lot of good running backs. He has really good instincts and you can’t teach that. We’re trying to develop a scheme that allows him to feel like he can play at his best and not think too much and just react. He’s doing a great job with it so far.”
Last year, Bernard was hanging around the other running backs and running the ball. Now the running backs have to face him in practice.
“It’s different. He’s an athletic dude,” Brown said of Bernard. “You try to put a move on him and he’ll stick it to you. He’s physical, so you try to block him and he’ll be physical as well. It’s a tough contest.”
“It gives me an advantage when I go against them,” Bernard said with a laugh.
Someone who has helped Bernard with his transition from running back to linebacker is former Cougar linebacker Uani Unga, who spent a couple of seasons with the NFL's New York Giants. Unga wants to get into coaching, so he’s helping out at BYU practices.
“Uani’s giving us a lot of tips. I take everything he says very seriously,” Bernard said. “I ask him for all of his advice and all he’s told me has been perfect for what I need to learn.”
Bernard played on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball at Herriman High, so this move to linebacker isn’t entirely new to him. With his change in position, Bernard has also changed numbers. He wore No. 36 last season as a running back and now he’s No. 13 — the number he wore in high school.
Bernard admits that even now, from time to time, he can’t help but imagine himself running the football.
“I still think about it,” he said, “but I’m glad I made the transition. I love playing linebacker. It’s been awesome.”
EMAIL: jeffc@deseretnews.com