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STILLWATER, Okla. — Senior running back Micah Bernard had something to get off his chest.
Bernard had been instrumental in No. 12 Utah going on the road and securing the team's first Big 12 win over No. 14 Oklahoma State, but there was something bugging him about his play.
The running back was not pleased with his first-half performance and wanted to apologize to his teammates and to any of the fans who watched the game.
"I didn't play the greatest first half," he started.
Bernard had two first-half fumbles — only one was lost — and whiffed on a pass protection assignment that he said led to one of Isaac Wilson's two interceptions on the day.
"I missed a crucial blitz pickup that led to interception in the first half, so I want to apologize to the team for that, and apologize to fans for keeping you on your on your toes," Bernard said. "But that second half — we're a great second half team. Now we've just got to fix it in the first half."
Outside of the fumbles and missed assignment on pass protection, Bernard had arguably his best game as a running back in a Utah uniform.
The veteran back, who has worked to get consistent reps and to separate himself as a true RB1 in Utah's system, finished the day with a career-high 182 rushing yards — including a 62-yard sprint down the field after breaking three tackles and then executing an effective stutter step to evade a fourth — on 25 carries as the team's leading rusher.
In all, Bernard averaged an impressive 7.3 yards per carry.
"It feels pretty good," Bernard said. "Honestly, I've been trying to work for a long time to get — this is the most carries I've ever had. I've been working for the last five, six years to try to get to this level, to where coaches trust in me and believe in me to have 25 carries, so it's just been a long time coming, and I'm finally glad that I've got everybody's trust in order to give me the ball.
"I'm just trying to go out there and make plays, and those plays will come," he added. "Everybody wants them to be on the first, second or third run. But if you keep getting the rock, I get more comfortable as the game goes on, big ones will bust like that."
It's a veteran player in Utah's system that is finally starting to emerge as a true standalone back. But Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham cautioned that Bernard maxed out on the carries they'd like him to be at this season.
Though Bernard has been effective, Whittingham wants to be smart about his options and how much impact his leading backer takes on the field.
"He's been instrumental to our success this whole season," Whittingham said. "We've got to be careful. He's not — as I've said many times — he's not a 25 carry a game back. ... That's probably about five carries more than we would have chosen, but he's so good, he's a terrific running back.
"But it's a marathon, it's not a sprint. So we've got to try to make sure we give him the reps accordingly."
Regardless of how the reps are divvied up in the running back room, Bernard has been a consistent go-to talent to move the offense along, especially as the team continues to acclimate freshman Isaac Wilson to the game as a starting quarterback.
On Saturday, when Utah needed yards on the ground the most late in the game to wear out the clock and secure a win over Oklahoma State, Bernard put his head down and went to work — even with the Cowboys knowing the game plan.
And Bernard delivered on three consistent downs — a 3-yard run up the middle on first, a 4-yard run up the middle on second, and a game-sealing 4-yard run up the middle again on third down.
There was no doubt.
"I had full trust in our offensive line and Micah," Wilson said. "I'm sure everyone knew we were going to run the ball, because all we needed was 10 yards. And those guys on that field were like, 'This is the best 10 yards of our life." And Micah plowed it right through that hole, got the first down."
"Shout out to the O-block, for real," Bernard added. "They was creating some nice holes. It was staying man on man, and I was just able to read through a lot of it."
