Jacob Bernholtz ’17 is emerging as one of the Grinnell football team’s premiere offensive tools. In the last game alone, on Saturday, Sept. 28 versus Beloit College, Bernholtz rushed for 157 yards, scoring two touchdowns on the ground and one off of a fumble recovery. In addition, Bernholtz was named the Midwest Conference Football Offensive Performer of the Week. The Pioneers soundly beat Beloit with a final score of 42-17. Bernholtz is also a member of the baseball team.
How did you get into football?
Well, baseball was my first real sport, but football was what a lot of my friends were doing, so I thought I’d pick it up. I started with flag football in about fourth grade, and since then, I’ve loved the game.
How did it feel to win this past weekend against Beloit?
It was a nice win. It was very much a team effort.
What’s your pregame ritual?
I’m one of those “headphones in, everything else out” kind of guys. I definitely like to talk to people, it helps get rid of those pre-game jitters. I like to have my clothes and everything ready and laid out, double check it the day of, because you always feel like you forget something.
What’s on your pregame playlist?
It’s actually interesting, a bunch of off-the-wall stuff. Some [George] Watsky, some of your typical hard rock, Hollywood Undead, Deuce, some dubstep.
Why do you play your particular position? Is there any position you’d love to play?
I originally tried out for quarterback in junior high, but it was me and my best friend competing. They would always put me in for the running plays and put him in for the passing plays. Then, they asked, “Why don’t you just switch over to running back?” And at first, I said, “No way, give up passing the ball for just running?” Then I tried it out—it was a lot of fun, and I still love it.
What are the plans for the team?
We definitely have optimistic plans at this time, and we’re taking it one game at a time. Keep doing things right and play for the fun of the game.
What are you looking forward to in the rest of your Grinnell experience?
I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of people. I’ve already met so many people so far and everyone’s awesome here. Also, just experiencing everything that Grinnell has to offer.
What other things are you involved in or want to be involved in?
Football and baseball take up a lot of time, but I really want to try to do improv in the off-season. It was something I enjoyed doing during high school.
What’s your favorite thing about Grinnell so far?
It’s gotta be the football team. We are one of the closest knit group[s] of guys out there, and I cherish them. They’re a truly awesome group of guys.
What is your favorite D-Hall food?
I don’t think I’ve been here long enough to claim a favorite, but for breakfast, I’m all about trying to get those Eggs-to-Order. I’m a big fan of the Reubens. I gotta have the fries and the special sauce, a combination of ranch and hot sauce.
