Joseph Charles Bernard (August 29, 1911 – March 1962) was an American football player. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1931 to 1933 teams and was the starting center on the 1932 and 1933 teams that compiled a combined record of 15–0–1. Bernard was selected as consensus first-team All-American in 1933. He later played one year of professional football for the Detroit Lions in 1934. Early years Bernard was born in Chicago in 1911. He attended Benton Harbor High School in Benton Harbor, Michigan. In 1928 and 1929, Bernard was named the Michigan outstanding prep athlete. University of Michigan Bernard was a 60-minute player who was said to be equally brilliant on offense and defense. Bernard was an All-American center on the Wolverines back-to-back undefeated national championship teams in 1932 and 1933. The 1932 team went 8–0 (including six shutouts) and outscored opponents 123 to 13, an average of 1.6 points per game by U-M's opponents. The 1933 team went 7–0–1, outscored its opponents, 131 to 18, and its only blemish was a scoreless tie against the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Little Brown Jug game. In an article in Collier's magazine, famed sports writer Grantland Rice said of Bernard: "His height, weight and physical power combined with a keen football intelligence, made him an ideal man backing up the line. He was quick at diagnosing plays and went to the right spot. He was one of football's best defenders against the forward pass and adept at intercepting passes." Bernard was a consensus first-team All-American, being selected by Walter Camp and Associated Press, among others. In a January 1934 article announcing the All-American selections, Time magazine noted: "Michigan's Bernard, a 215-lb. cyclone...[was] picked by practically every All-American selector of standing." Associated Press sports editor Alan Gould wrote: "Without Bernard, the Wolverines could hardly have topped the toughest league in the country." Along with Whitey Wistert, Bernard was one of chief reasons why 1933 Wolverine lines were said to be "impregnable." Gerald Ford Bernard is also remembered as the All-American center for whom U.S. President Gerald Ford served as a backup in the 1932 and 1933 seasons. When President Ford was asked in his later years about his greatest regret in life, he thought for a moment and said: "Well, I wanted to play more football as a sophomore and junior, but one year ahead of