Mules open district play with change at quarterback

By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor

Austin Sutton usually gets to take a breather while Poplar Bluff’s offense is on the field.

But on Friday night, the senior may not be on the sideline much when the Mules host Cape Central in the district opener.

Poplar Bluff coach Brian Robbins added starting quarterback to Sutton’s duties, which already include starting safety kicker backup receiver and pancake maker with his big hits on returns.

“He’s more than capable of doing it,” said Robbins of Sutton taking over for injured quarterback Todd Bullington.

Sutton and the Mules (3-4, 0-1 SEMO) have been here before.

Bullington, who sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter Friday night in a 35-21 loss at Jackson, missed the preseason jamboree with a broken pinkie finger in his non-throwing hand. Sutton ran the offense, which averaged 5.2 yards per play that night, and it may have been a blessing in disguise.

“I think it was good for him and it was good for the rest of the team to see he can direct the offense and we can be pretty efficient with him at quarterback,” Robbins said.

Bullington, who was still on crutches during practice Tuesday, had taken every snap for the Mules this season until he was knocked out of bounds with 2 minutes left Friday night.

Sutton’s emergency substitution at Jackson featured two fumbled snaps and an interception.

“He is an excellent runner and he is a smart kid,” Robbins said. “He came in here (Tuesday) and did a good job.

“It’s not like he hasn’t been playing it.”

Still, changing quarterbacks the same week district play starts gives a coach plenty to be concerned about.

“Timing in football is so important with your offense,” Robbins said.

So is the timing of turnovers. Poplar Bluff forced more turnovers than Jackson last week, 4-3, but only turned one into points. This season the Mules have scored 61 points off 18 turnovers forced.

The Mules intercepted a pass in their own end zone and near midfield while recovering a fumble at their own 23 Friday night. Jackson, meanwhile, cashed in two fumbles for scores in the first quarter.

Turnovers were also Poplar Bluff’s downfall last year against Cape Central, which scored 16 points off seven turnovers to win 23-20.

“It wouldn’t matter who we’re playing this week, that’s a point of emphasis,” Robbins said. “We’ve got to quit shooting ourselves in the foot.”

The Tigers (1-6, 0-1 SEMO) have been losing the turnover battle this season, 18-13, and have allowed an average of 46.8 points per game. Cape Central has been outscored 69-33 in the first quarter and 172-48 in the first half, but the Tigers have just 200 fewer yards of total offense than Poplar Bluff.

Central is led by senior quarterback Chase Johnson, who has thrown for 779 yards by completing 56.4 percent of his passes and ran for 190 yards.

Cantrell Andrews Tigers with eight touchdowns and 426 yards rushing, while tailback Derek Walker is averaging 7.1 yards per carry and has caught eight passes for 123 yards.

Fullback Joe Uhls also leads Central in tackles but the Tigers defense has just three sacks and three interceptions. Defensive tackle Rickien Russell has forced three fumbles and has a sack.

In Central’s lone win �" a 51-33 come-from-behind victory against St. Charles �" Walker and Andrews ran for 132 and 113 yards respectively and Johnson completed 8-of-18 passes for 97 yards.

The Tigers have lost three straight by a combined score of 134-46.

“When you go through tough times like this, you find out a lot about yourselves as players and coaches,” Central coach Lawrence Brookins told the Southeast Missourian following the Tigers’ 45-19 loss to Fort Zumwalt North last Thursday.

Tyler McNabb, Central’s leading receiver and starting linebacker and kicker did not play last week and Brookins told the Southeast Missourian he will miss at least two games for disciplinary reasons.

Last year, the Tigers were 2-5 before beating the Mules and West Plains to clinch the district title. Poplar Bluff has not beaten the Tigers since 2001 and has not won a district title since 2000, going 6-9 in district play since then.

“We just got to do what we do,” Robbins said. “Like we tell the kids, ‘Just do your job.’”