BG’s Goble steps up when needed

9/5/2013

Goble

BOWLING GREEN — Ronnie Goble was humble when he assessed his performance in the Bowling Green State University football team’s victory over Tulsa.

“Honestly? It felt like the ball was just around me a lot more than usual,” the Falcons defensive end said. “That allowed me to get in on some tackles, and that was fun.”

Goble finished with five tackles, including one for loss, and played an important role in the Falcons’ strong defensive effort against the Golden Hurricane. What made Goble’s effort especially important is that he came in when starting end Charlie Walker was injured, and BG didn’t miss a beat.

“Ronnie played huge for us,” coach Dave Clawson said. “He’s a fifth-year senior and a two-year captain who doesn’t start for us.

“But the second Charlie Walker went down, he stepped up and knew exactly what to do. And that’s what you expect of a fifth-year senior captain.”

A native of Plymouth, Mich., Goble started nine of 12 games in 2011, but injuries limited his time last season.

Even though Goble isn’t a starter this year, he said it has been easy to stay ready.

“All of us on the defensive line prepare as if we’re going to play,” he said. “We all prepare as if we’re going to start, and [defensive line] coach [Larry] McDaniel treats us all like starters.

“I’ve started before, and I’ve played a lot. So when Charlie went down, I really didn’t even think about that.”

Goble said his goals are simple ones — and they have nothing to do with numbers.

“I just want to help the team win any way I can,” he said. “I want to be better in football that I ever have been, and I think I am. But I don’t have too many statistical goals. I just want to help the team win.”

QB SITUATION: Clawson confirmed that sophomore quarterback Matt Johnson played well enough against Tulsa to start Saturday at Kent State.

“When [Johnson] got in there, I thought he sparked our football team,” Clawson said “There was talk of putting [Schilz] back in there in the second half, but Johnson led [on two scoring drives] and from that point I thought it was his game.”

Clawson said he doesn’t want to have to pick a starting QB each week, but he will if that is best.

“It’s different from other positions in that it’s the leader of the offense,” he said. “But it’s like other positions in that whoever is playing the best should play.

“It’s not fair to play one guy over the other just because it makes things convenient for you as the coach.”

INJURY REPORT: The Falcons will be without cornerback Darrell Hunter and wide receiver Jermal Hosley. Both have injuries that are potentially season-ending.

Clawson said that Walker and two other players, safety Jude Adjei-Barmah and running back Jordan Hopgood, and considered day to day.

Contact John Wagner at: jwagner@theblade.com, 419-724-6481 or on Twitter @jwagnerblade.