It was just another Spring practice for Bowling Green receiver Kurt Gerling.

“I was running an underneath route and I turned around and caught the ball,” Gerling said. “The coaches always preach to make a move after you catch the ball. I tried to do a little stutter step, and my knee just buckled out.”

“I went down and knew something was wrong,” he continued. “Everybody told me to get up. So I got up and started jogging around a little bit. I knew that something wasn’t right.”

What wasn’t right with Gerling was his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). When Gerling planted, the ligament behind his knee cap tore. It’s an injury that not only takes a long period of time to recover from, but can also be career threatening. The average recovery rate after surgery for an injury like Gerlings’ is six to eight months. At four months, the patient can begin pivoting maneuvers and drills.

Missing six to eight months would mean missing games for the fifth year senior. It was not an option Gerling would even consider. Gerling said one of the worst things that ever happened to him was when he sat out four games with a shoulder injury he suffered against Michigan last season. He didn’t care how long doctors said he would be out because Gerling knew he would be ready for the season in four months. His receiver- teammate didn’t doubt him either.

“When we found out what he did, he told everyone that he would be fine and play in the first game,” David Bautista said. “I never doubted him. I’ve never doubted anything that Kurt has said because he has never lied to me. And just like he said, he came back.”

How was Kurt so sure that he could recover so quickly?

“It’s all mental,” Gerling said. “If you’re confident that you could lose all your fingers and still catch a ball then you could probably do it. If your knee hurts and you want to be back in four months, you can do it with hard work and determination.”

On Sept. 1, Gerling put on his Falcon uniform and proved to everyone that he was a man of his word. BG coach Urban Meyer decided he was in good enough shape to get the start against Missouri.

“We’ve made the decision that we’re going to start him on Saturday, which is an absolute testimony to the kind of kid he is,” Meyer said before the Missouri game. ” He was a guy that went down, and underwent surgery, and I thought, there’s no chance (he will play this year).

“But, then you have the trainer, the doctors and his teammates saying that somehow, he’ll be back. What a story that is. He’s a tremendous kid.”

Gerling’s story is more than just a comeback tale though – it’s a success story. The 6-foot 2-inch receiver has been a vital part of the Falcons since committing to BG in 1997. After red-shirting his freshman year, Gerling made a statement his first year of play. He had 34 receptions and six touchdowns, good enough to be named the MAC Freshman of the Year.

Sophomore year was even stronger for the Sterling Heights native. He caught 53 passes and five touchdowns, some leaving the crowd in amazement. One-handed or over the shoulder, it seemed Gerling would catch anything thrown up in the air. He has one of the longest receiving streaks in the country, having at least one reception in his last 32 games. He is also the current active receiving leader in the MAC with 1,812 total yards.

“I want to go out being known as a receiver that would catch anything,” Gerling said. “I want to be remembered as the guy who would catch the ball on third downs and knew how to get open.”

To his teammates, Gerling may be remembered for much more.

“Kurt is a leader,” Bautista said. “When I got here I could tell that. He is always the first one in line and leads the drills. He’s our captain and leader of our team.”

Gerling feels his story is not done yet though. During an interview he remembered the highlights of his career which included his MAC Freshman of the Year award and BG’s big wins over Central Florida and Missouri. The new-found success after a 3-0 start for the Falcons has given Gerling hope that the best is still around the corner.

“I think the best highlight of my career is still to come,” Gerling said. “I’ve been a part of some great games, but I think this year has been a real special one especially our win against Missouri. I think there is more to come too.”