Dogs don’t plan to kick to Dunn

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STARKVILLE — Auburn’s Robert Dunn, who has already returned a punt for a touchdown this season, won’t be an issue to Mississippi State come Saturday, MSU coach Sylvester Croom said.

“It’s real simple: Don’t kick the ball to the guy, you know? The guy’s dangerous,” Croom said. “I make no secret about it: We don’t intend for him to touch the football.”

There’s good reason for that, too. Dunn returned a punt 66 yards for a score in Auburn’s season-opening win over Louisiana-Monroe, then backed that up with 103 yards on four returns in its win over Southern Miss.

Dunn is first in the Southeastern Conference and sixth in the country in punt return average (24.4 yards per game) and leads the nation in punt return yards (171).
Injury updates

Tight end Marcus Green appeared at Tuesday’s news conference on crutches, but said that doesn’t mean he’ll be out of Saturday’s game. The right side of Green’s pelvis has fluid on it, causing pain.

“Going to try to take it one day at at time,” he said. “Right now, it’s unanswerable because I’m still on crutches. But if tomorrow goes well and I’m off crutches, maybe Thursday I’ll practice.”

State’s leading wide receiver, Brandon McRae, was limited in Tuesday’s practice with a hamstring issue.

Clarion Ledger
9/10/08