BOWLING GREEN — Davon Ferguson’s long and winding college football road led him back to Bowling Green State University.

The Falcons’ cornerback couldn’t be happier to spend his seventh and final collegiate season in northwest Ohio.

Ferguson, who has shown flashes of brilliance on the gridiron in between bouts with injuries, transferred to Georgia Southern earlier this year and even spent spring practice with the Eagles. He decided in the summer, however, the best thing for him was to return to BGSU, where he will look to be an anchor in the Falcons’ secondary.

“For me, I just felt I kind of had a missing piece, and BG was that missing piece,” Ferguson said. “So ultimately after spring ball, I was like, ‘I kind of want to go back home.’”

Ferguson has gone through plenty of ups and downs in his career, especially when it comes to the injury bug. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound senior was one of the top defenders not only in the Mid-American Conference, but the nation in 2021, before a lower-body injury sidelined him for the final four games.

Another lower-body injury caused him to miss nearly the entire 2022 campaign, and in early December, he decided to enter the transfer portal. Shortly after, he committed to Georgia Southern.

“I decided in December that the best thing for me would be to try my last year at another institution, but when I ended up going to Georgia Southern, things happen,” Ferguson said. “And then obviously, I decided it was the best thing to come back and finish what I started here.

“I have nothing but good things to say about Georgia Southern, just ultimately wasn’t the best fit.”

After spending his first collegiate season at Hartnell Community College in California, Ferguson transferred to Kansas, where he appeared in 20 games (nine starts) from 2018 to 2020. He redshirted after four games in his first year with the Jayhawks, then was third on the team with 57 total tackles in 2019.

Ferguson didn’t skip a beat when he came to BGSU. When he went down with an injury in Week 8 against Eastern Michigan, he was the only player in the country with at least 60 tackles (68), two sacks, and four passes defended, according to BGSU athletics. He was No. 1 in the MAC and No. 14 in the nation with 5.6 solo tackles per game; he had 17 tackles (10 solo) in a close loss to Northern Illinois in Week 7.

“It’s good to have him back,” BGSU wide receiver Austin Osborne said. “In 2021, Ferg had a great year, then he got injured, and 2022, having a good year, got injured. You’ve got to go through that stuff sometimes in order to get where you are now.

“How it’s all timed up, it’s coming together perfectly, and it’s good to see a guy like that healthy.”

Ferguson had five solo tackles, including one sack, in BGSU’s season opener at UCLA in 2022. But an injury the following week against Eastern Kentucky sidelined him the rest of the season.

Ferguson’s presence on the practice field has been welcomed by his teammates. The energy he brings stands out the most about Ferguson.

“I think he brings a lot of fire and tenacity,” BGSU senior defensive lineman Anthony Hawkins said. “He brings the energy that you need on the defense.”

His vocal leadership abilities are another plus.

“Everyone listens to him,” Osborne said.

Ferguson’s main goal this season is to help BGSU get to the MAC championship game in Detroit. The Falcons (6-7, 5-3 MAC) are coming off their best season since 2015 and have enough talent to be a factor in the MAC East Division race.

“I’m 100 percent excited. I wouldn’t have come back if I wasn’t, and I see the potential we had last year,” Ferguson said. “I got hurt second game of the season, so I just felt like it was a lot of stuff missing that I didn’t get an opportunity to showcase and do and help BG ultimately get to the MAC championship.

“That’s all we want.”

The opportunity to continue playing football is something Ferguson is grateful for, as well.

“Some people get injuries, and they ultimately have to call it quits,” he said, “so for me, it’s just motivation to see that I still have the opportunity to play. The guys around me, they’re counting on me, so I take that to my heart. I just want to come out here, motivate the guys to push them to be better, and that pushes me.”

First Published August 19, 2023, 12:30 p.m.