Size isn’t everything … just ask Rensselaer running back Jay Bernardo, who consistently steps onto the football field and rushes for over 100 yards, catches 3-5 passes and blocks fearlessly. He also provides leadership and exhibits a tireless work ethic. He is one of the premier running backs in Division III. Not bad for someone who stands five feet, seven inches tall.
A four-sport athlete at nearby LaSalle Institute, Jay set several school records, including the single-game rushing and single-season touchdown marks, and was the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year as a senior. His success in high school only fueled his desire to play at the collegiate level. The welcoming nature of the Rensselaer staff and the team made it an easy decision for him to stay local and play for the Engineers.
“I just felt I had to be here,” explains Bernardo, a native of East Greenbush. “I had taken other recruiting trips and had seen some other business schools, but never did I see such an emphasis on preparing for the future and looking for a career as I did here at RPI. After that I saw the closeness of the guys on the football team. To see that family-type atmosphere, I knew this was the place for me.”
Bernardo fit right in to the lineup his freshman season. Playing in 11 games, he rushed 76 times for 366 yards and four touchdowns, including some eye-opening efforts. Among them was being named the UCAA Rookie of the Week following a performance against Coast Guard in which he rushed a season-high 17 times for a personal season-high 116 yards, including a one-yard touchdown. The Engineers won that game 44-17 to retain the Shot Glass Trophy.
Bernardo finished his first collegiate season ranked second on the team – which played in the national semi-finals – in rushing yards, average yards per carry (4.8), average yards rushing per game (33.3) and rushing touchdowns (4). Of course, the transition was not as easy as the success would make it appear.
“Going through the demands of school and football has been challenging and throughout my freshman year I questioned whether or not it was for me,” Bernardo reveals. “Sticking through it all, I’ve found ways to go beyond what I thought I could accomplish.”
In his sophomore season, Jay continued to be an offensive threat, playing in all nine games. His numbers were team-highs in multiple categories including, rushing yards (682), yards per carry (4.4) and rushing touchdowns (9). He continued to enjoy stellar games. His mastery of the Coast Guard defense continued as he rushed for a season-high 220 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-17 victory to earn the Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Week honor. In a 37-20 win at Kings Point two games later, he carried the ball 25 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns. At season’s end, he was named to the All-Liberty League Second Team as well as to the league’s All-Academic squad.
Through five games this season, Jay has led the team to a 4-1 record by carrying the load from the backfield. He has enjoyed tremendous individual success as well. In the season opening win over Endicott, he most certainly led by example by rushing for 249 yards with four touchdowns, including an NCAA record 99-yarder. Interestingly, that was not Bernardo’s best game, at least according to Rensselaer head coach Joe King.
The one game that stands out for RPI’s 17th-year mentor when thinking of Bernardo was just two weeks ago. On a rain-soaked ’86 Field, Jay rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns with neither the rain nor the mud slowing him down. Rensselaer defeated league foe St. Lawrence 35-13.
“He made some cuts on that field that I personally didn’t think were possible,” recalls King. “He blocked well and even in rough conditions did great. He’s been a valuable member of this team since he got here, a real go-to kind of guy. That game versus St. Lawrence is probably the best I’ve seen him play.”
Obviously the result can be seen in the statistics. Bernardo has rushed for 835 yards in 135 attempts with 12 touchdowns as well as 15 catches for 142 yards receiving. He ranks third in the entire nation in scoring (14.4 points per game), fifth in rushing yards per game (167.0) and sixth in all-purpose yards (195.4 per game). Not that the numbers really matter.
“He just wants to win and I don’t think he’s hung up on statistics,” explains King. “Whether he carries the ball 30 times a game or 15, I don’t think it matters to him as long as the team is successful.”
“Jay’s statistics in a game may or may not be impressive, but he continues to work to improve himself and help the team,” says junior tight end Jon Branche.
“He’s improved from his freshman year to his junior year,” explains King. “He’s just a much better, all-around football player. Strong, fast, durable, his blocking and pass receiving has transformed him into a top running back.
“His work ethic on and off the field, in the weight room and especially in the classroom is something that the kids’ really respect,” says King.
The respect Bernardo has gained as a quality player is reflected more than ever this season as he serves as the team’s only offensive captain and the only junior in the leadership role. It is a role that he has grown into and, not surprisingly, has worked hard at it.
“There is a remarkable difference between his sophomore and junior year,” says King. “He may not always be vocal, but like the other captains he’s not afraid to say what needs to be said.”
With the team fighting for another NCAA Playoff bid, Jay knows that his team is ready for the second half of the season. The goal is to remain focused and take care of the everyday things that help the team succeed.
“This is definitely a talented team that is capable of more than we think,” Jay explains. “If we play up to our abilities there is no reason why this shouldn’t be a successful season.”
Bernardo’s positive attitude and focus on and off the field can be attributed to a special influence in his life who has shown him that his time at Rensselaer as a student-athlete will be one of the greatest points of his life and it’s important to cherish it.
“My brother has taught me the true meaning of staying humble,” says Jay. “He has always been the person who has helped guide me through the different aspects of my life.
“Going through high school you can often find yourself scaling back a bit and not being as focused as you should,” Jay explains. “I’ve found out at RPI especially, that if you want to be happy with the finished product, you’ll need to be committed to the task. That’s what I continue to focus on.”
The friends he has made, the lessons he has learned have given him a sense of achievement, but he is the first to admit that his greatest achievement is yet to come.
“It’s always been a theme surrounding the football program of ‘Never Being Satisfied’. Carrying that mentality into my everyday life has been nothing but wonders,” explains Bernardo. “It’s a saying that’s geared toward personal growth to constantly strive for bigger and better things.”
