Auburn’s Dunn looking dangerous

By Robert Rousseau  |   Monday, September 08, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Auburn Tigers
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Those who follow the Auburn Tigers know that senior wide receiver Robert Dunn was recently in head coach Tommy Tuberville’s doghouse. That said, after the team's 34-0 victory over the Louisiana- Monroe Warhawks two weekends ago, Tuberville noted that “he’s digging his way out” of that doghouse. Keep in mind that Tuberville’s statement had nothing to do with pass catching -- Dunn didn’t even have a reception.

Rather, it had everything to do with returning punts.

Against the Warhawks, Dunn managed to break the Tigers' 144-game, 12-year streak of not scoring on a punt return. To put that in perspective, when the shifty Dunn broke free up the middle Auburn finally caught up to everyone else.

You see, every other FCS club had returned a punt for a touchdown during Auburn's lull.

In sum, Dunn returned three balls for a total of 68 yards during the opener.

Against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles last weekend, Dunn proved that the performance was hardly a fluke, totaling 103 yards on punt returns (including 32- and 47-yard runbacks). Unfortunately, he was unable to replicate his punt return touchdown run from the week before.

Or was he?

Yes and no. In the third quarter Dunn caught a punt, reversed half the field, and then juked and jived his way to the end zone once more to cap off a great 65-yard return.

Unfortunately, an illegal block brought it back; still, it served notice of how consistently dangerous Dunn can be.

Fact is that over the course of the previous three seasons as a receiver, Dunn has caught two passes for 29 yards (2005), five throws for 52 yards (2006), and 19 tosses for 211 yards and two touchdowns (2007).

Noteworthy, but nothing to make the masses truly take notice. As a punt returner, however, Dunn is becoming as noticeable as they get.

Clearly, Dunn can be a game-changer for the Tigers. That'll take him out of the doghouse.
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About Robert Rousseau

Robert Rousseau is a sports writer that has been published in a variety of print and online venues. He’s been writing for RealFootball365.com for almost three years now. When Rousseau isn’t writing about college football he tends to be penning mixed martial arts pieces for MMAFighting.com or...
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