Brown's thigh bruise not serious, Amato says

9/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football

RALEIGH  -- NC State football coach Chuck Amato said Sunday afternoon that sophomore tailback Andre Brown suffered a minor thigh bruise in the first half of Saturday's 20-17 loss to Akron, but the injury shouldn't affect him for next weekend's game at Southern Mississippi.

"He could have played," Amato said in his Sunday teleconference. "He wanted to. I went up to him late int he fourth period and he said 'Coach, I am ready to go. I want to get  in there.'

"We were doing fine. We felt the best decision was (to keep him out). I didn't want to anything to happen so that he wouldn't be able to do something next week. We know it isn't anything serious. It is a bruise."

The Wolfpack (1-1) plays it's first road game of the season in Hattiesburg, Miss. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. 