Jared Bernhardt, the 2019 Tewaaraton finalist attacker who was a three-time USILA All-American at Maryland, announced Sunday in an NCAA interview that he plans to play football at Ferris State next season.

Bernhardt, who entered the transfer portal in August in hopes of getting back on the gridiron, starred as an option quarterback in high school. He had an offer from Navy to play football but chose lacrosse instead.

“I never really thought that would come about, and obviously chose to play lacrosse,” Bernhardt told US Lacrosse Magazine contributor Patrick Stevens last fall. “I think some of the pros outweighed some of the other things with football, so I took that route. It’s always been in the back of my mind.”

Ferris State runs an offense similar to Bernhardt’s Lake Brantley (Fla.) days, so perhaps his quarterbacking days aren’t over. Last season, Ferris State — a Division II school in Michigan — fell in the Division II semifinals. Ferris State was the Division II runner up in 2018.

Bernhardt finishes his Maryland career with 131 goals and 60 assists. His 131 goals rank fifth in program history, and had the season not been canceled due to COVID-19, he could have reached Matt Rambo’s career program record of 155.