by Rick Eymer
It's turning into an annual event for Damon Dunn, kickoff return specialist. His contribution to Stanford's stunning 24-20 victory over USC on Saturday lasted all of 14 seconds, but it covered 93 yards as he produced the extent of Stanford's scoring in the first half.
For the first time this season, and the third time in his career, Dunn returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Over his three-year career with the Cardinal, Dunn has returned kickoffs for 1,330 yards. That places him second on the all-time school list. Only Ray Anderson, who played between 1973-75, stands in the way of the top of the list and Dunn is only 26 yards behind him.
Stanford (3-3 in Pac-10 play, 4-5 overall) kept its bowl chances alive with the victory while seriously damaging USC's aspirations. The Trojans fell to 3-4 (5-5).
Stanford moved into a third-place tie in the conference with California, Washington State and UCLA. Winning the next two games, beginning with Saturday's 12:30 p.m. contest against visiting Washington State, certainly would put the Cardinal squarely into the bowl picture since the top four Pac-10 teams are guaranteed postseason berths.
Dunn's list of accomplishments is piling up and the guy is only a junior. His 26.4 career return average is second on the Stanford all-time list. He's led the Pac-10 Conference in kickoff returns the past two years, and was named first-team all-conference as a return specialist. Along with Marlon Evans, he helped set a school return for single-season return yardage last year with a 26.3 average, bettering the 23.1 average of the 1981 team.
He helped get the season off to a fine start last year, returning the first kick he saw 91 yards for a touchdown against San Jose State. He was the No. 3 ranked returner in the nation last year.
"Last year we had so much success returning the ball that teams weren't kicking to us this season," said Dunn, who also caught two passes for 23 yards against USC. "But the Lord Jesus told me to remain faithful."
It all seems so simple. The ball floats down out of the air, and Dunn cradles it into his arms then heads upfield behind a wall of blockers. Returning a kick for a touchdown is like a blow to the stomach: it can often knock the wind out of you.
The Trojans had just scored to take a 7-0 lead. Touchdowns have been hard to come by as it is this season, so falling behind less than six minutes into the game isn't what is recommended.
Dunn was able to grab back the momentum with his return, and it wasn't exactly by the books. The ball was squibbed and Dunn was forced to pick it up on a bounce at his own 7-yard line.
"I went up to field the ball, but it took a bad hop to my left," said Dunn. "Guys were closing in on me, but I made the first guy miss then headed to the sideline and got great blocking."
Dunn, who is also a licensed Baptist minister who preaches in community churches in his spare time, weaved his way through traffic along the left sideline, picking up blockers along the way before breaking loose at the 50.
"That's the key to a good kickoff return," said Dunn. "I may not be the best in the country, but if you really believe you're going all the way, then guys will get you that second or third block."
Dunn said Stanford coach Tyrone Willingham compares it to waves hitting the shore. They keep pounding away until, sooner or later, something breaks down.
"I want to hit it hard every time," said Dunn. "If you keep going, soon something breaks through. I'll continue to do so."
He's already left a legacy of returns. As a freshman he returned a kickoff 100 yards in a game against Arizona State. That tied a school record, and was the first time a Cardinal returned a kickoff 100 yards since Robert E. Bryan did it in a 55-7 victory over the University of San Francisco in coach Marchmont Schwartz's last season. Yes, the same USF which no longer plays football.
Dunn, a public policy major, ended his freshman year as the best in the conference, and No. 21 in the nation.
Dunn hails from Sam Houston High in Arlington, Texas. As a wide receiver he was considered the second-best receiving prospect in the state behind current Cardinal Anthony Bookman, who's now running the football more than catching it. He also returned three kickoffs for touchdowns as a senior.
"The only answer I can give you is that there are guys with more speed and more talent, but I just believe in the Lord," said Dunn, who also runs track at Stanford.
Stanford now has defeated UCLA and USC in the same season for the first time since 1992, when the Cardinal went on to the Blockbuster Bowl.
"I'd never beaten either team," said Stanford defensive end Kailee Wong, a junior. "This is huge."
Prior to Saturday's game, Stanford had scored two points in the third quarter all season long. Mike Mitchell's four-yard run, set up by his own 40-yard run, with 12:27 remaining in the third quarter took care of that problem. Greg Comella's 2-yard run at the end of the quarter proved to be the game-winner. Kevin Miller added a 32-yard field goal late in the game.
"I'm in a state of shock," said USC coach John Robinson. "We seem to be doing well for awhile, then things seem to stop. They got some things going, and their runners broke some long runs."
Mitchell gained 147 yards on the ground, all in the second half. Stanford's 195 rushing yards is a season high.
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