STARKVILLE — Marcus Green spent the spring practices on the sidelines determining if he still wanted to play college football.
The Mississippi State University sixth-year senior’s performance Saturday proved he made the correct decision to come back. The tight end had four catches for a team-high 54 yards and two touchdowns to lead MSU to a 28-10 victory against Auburn University.
The two touchdowns were the first multi-score game at MSU for Green, who wasn’t made available to the media after the game. The four catches were his most in a game since 2009.
The effort came two years after Green suffered a season-ending knee injury against Auburn in Starkville. Seeing Green’s maroon and white No. 32 in the end zone was a welcome sight for MSU’s coaches.
“I was very happy for Marcus because he dropped one earlier today and nobody said anything to him because that’s not Marcus, and he knows that,” MSU offensive coordinator Les Koenning said. “Two years ago, this is where he tore up his knee, and he stood tall today.”
Green learned in July the NCAA accepted his request for a waiver and that MSU could make room under maximum 85 scholarships limit to keep him on the 2012 roster. Junior quarterback Tyler Russell couldn’t have been happier to hear the news.
“He’s a major weapon for us,” Russell said. “It’s special he decided to come back because we need him this year.”
After the losing tight end Malcolm Johnson in fall camp to a severe pectoral injury, Green’s three touchdowns in the first two games have solidified a position that had questions entering the season.
Banks’ two interceptions move him up MSU career list
MSU defensive coordinator Chris Wilson said Saturday he still is amazed at Johnthan Banks.
The Bulldogs’ senior defensive back intercepted Auburn quarterback Kiehl Frazier twice Saturday to move into second place on the school’s all-time interceptions list. Banks, who now had 14 interceptions, is two interceptions behind former NFL first-round pick Walt Harris.
“The worst thing you can ever do is take a talent like that for granted,” Wilson said. “I’m fortunate to have been in good places, but I’ve never taken the talent I have in our secondary right now for granted.”
Banks, a Jim Thorpe Award nominee, leads active players in interceptions after his third career game with multiple interceptions.
“If I get that record I’ll enjoy it, but I can be happy with second all-time behind a player like Walt Harris,” Banks said. “It’s about getting wins, and today felt great getting a win against somebody other than (Ole Miss).”
Wilson said he still expects offenses to challenge Banks because MSU would make an offense one-dimensional if they don’t. Not challenging Banks also would enable senior cornerback Darius Slay to make plays on the opposite side of the field.
“All day long the secondary was there making it uncomfortable for the Auburn passing game,” MSU coach Dan Mullen said. “They made the quarterback hold the ball longer than he wanted to.”
Special teams mishaps puzzle Mullen
Mullen said his wife may find him yelling and screaming at the Bulldogs’ special teams coach this weekend.
What Megan Mullen may find troubling is her husband is the special teams coach.
“I got to get on that special teams coach a little bit because he didn’t do very well today,” Mullen said. “I’ll meet with him later in a quiet room somewhere so my wife will find me screaming at myself.”
Senior Onterio McCalebb took the opening kickoff of the second half back 100 yards to silence the crowd of 56,111 at Davis Wade Stadium and give the Tigers a 10-7 lead. McCalebb made one defender miss and outran the rest of the coverage down the near sidelines.
“We knew we had enough time and talent to go back and get a score after that happened,” Russell said. “It’s situation stuff like that which we practice every day.”
Kickoff returns are plays Mullen said led to negative momentum last season.
“I told the defense at halftime if they don’t score on them, we win,” Mullen said. “Sure enough about 10 seconds into the half, I had lied to our defense.”
Mullen also watched freshman kicker Devon Bell miss two field goals. The scholarship kicker from Vicksburg is 0-for-3 in field goals. The three-star kicking prospect missed wide left from 36 yards in the first quarter and had a 43-yarder blocked in the second half.
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