Provo • Confusion reigned Monday afternoon as BYU coaches addressed the status of star linebacker Francis Bernard. The school announced Thursday that the junior was redshirting this season “for personal reasons.”
However, Bernard’s brother, James Bernard Jr., told The Salt Lake Tribune on Friday that the troubled linebacker ran afoul of the honor code and wants to transfer to Utah, which began fall semester classes on Monday.
After Francis Bernard was seen at practice in the Indoor Practice Facility in Provo on Monday, Sitake was asked about the junior’s status during his weekly press briefing.
“There are a lot of options that are still out there [for Bernard],” Sitake said. “So I think we said there are things that have been premature, that haven’t been decided yet. All I can tell you is we love Francis and we want whats best for him. Without going into any more details, it is his decision and we are here to help him.”
Moments later, however, defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki said on a radio show that Bernard is transferring.
“He’s going to leave, but I don’t know where he is going to go,” Tuiaki told ESPN 960 radio. “We give him our advice and he just has to make the decision for what is best for him.”
Neither James nor Francis Bernard returned phone calls asking for clarification.
It remained unclear Monday afternoon whether BYU would release Bernard to another Division I program within the state of Utah.
Sitake said when he noted during June’s football media day that he would release any player who wants to transfer from BYU, he was talking about returned missionaries who haven’t been in the program for two years.
“Things become a little more difficult when they become part of your team and they become a student,” he said. “I don’t have all the answers to that, but I just know I want all our players to have success.”
Sitake released a depth chart on Monday, and it was missing two players who were on the depth chart coming out of spring: receiver Akile Davis and defensive tackle Tevita Mo’unga. Tuiaki said Mo’unga is working through some academic issues.
Also absent is one of the emerging stars in camp, defensive tackle Lorenzo Fauatea.
This story will be updated.