ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com’s Graham Watson

Ricky Dobbs never thought he’d get into last week’s game against Temple.

Navy's starting quarterback had been told to dress and be prepared in case of an emergency, but he was shocked when the coaching staff called on him to lead the final drive and attempt to salvage what would ultimately be a 27-24 loss.

Dobbs rushed for five yards and went 0-for-3 passing as he tried to get his team in field goal range for the tie.

While he was disappointed about the loss, he was encouraged about his ability to play.

Dobbs had missed the previous two weeks after reaggravating a cracked kneecap against SMU on Oct. 17. The injury kept him out of practice and he missed the game against Wake Forest. The few moments he played against Temple was his first live action.

“To walk away and not feel anything with my knee, it was just reassuring that my body was ready to go full speed again,” Dobbs said. “That was the first time I had run full speed since the SMU game. It was definitely reassuring. No pain, tightness, soreness, no nothing. It was just like the way it feels on a normal day. I thought after the game that I was going to be sore from running on it and I was kind of scared that I might pull something trying to play without practicing on it.”

Dobbs has a little more faith in his durability heading into this weekend’s game against Notre Dame. He’s also found a greater appreciation for the game after missing so much time.

Before Dobbs was hurt, he was the Midshipmen’s best source of offense. He’d amassed 584 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. He had thrown for 618 yards and three scores. He’d led the Midshipmen back from deficits in several games, including the SMU game, which he played hurt throughout the duration.

But standing on the sidelines the past couple weeks reminded Dobbs of how fragile the game is, and he heads into the Notre Dame with a renewed sense of purpose.

“It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve done since I’ve been here,” Dobbs said of sitting out. “I felt like I could play, but the docs and the coaches didn’t really want to take the chance. I was just a humbling situation and I feel like I grew a lot. It taught me patience during those two weeks because I really wanted to play. When you feel like you’re ready and you just can’t go or they won’t let you go, it makes you feel separate from the team.”

Dobbs spent his time cheering on his teammates, but he longed to be on the field with them so he worked hard to get back as soon as he could. Team doctors told him after the injury that it could take as long as a month before he was at full strength. Dobbs said he's 100 percent after three weeks.

Dobbs said he felt like he could have played the entire game against Temple at 85-90 percent, but was grateful for the rest heading into this weekend’s pivotal game. Not only is Notre Dame one of the Midshipmen’s rivals that they’ve beaten just once since 1963, but a win would give Navy (6-3) it’s seventh victory this season and make it eligible for the Texas Bowl. Also, with four games remaining, the Midshipmen are trying to eclipse the eight-win mark for the first time since 2006.

“Our backs are kind of up against the wall and this is a defining moment for our team,” Dobbs said. “We’ve just have to see what type of team we’re going to be. Are we going to step up to the challenge against Notre Dame? They’re playing real well right now and they’re a real good football team. It’s just all about us and which team is going to come out and be hungry.”