BENTON, AR

If there was any semblance of a quarterback controversy on the Benton Panthers football team, that was quashed Tuesday in the Panthers’ benefit game loss, 45-35, to the Little Rock Central Tigers late in the first half at Panther Stadium.

With junior Colen Morrow and sophomore Peyton Hudgins expected to split reps behind center this season, especially early on in the year, Morrow will now get all of them as Hudgins broke his collar bone after a 26-yard run late in the first half and is expected to miss about six weeks.

Not only is missing Hudgins for at least half the season bad news, but the way the Panthers played on Tuesday didn’t inspire confidence for Benton Coach Brad Harris.

“I thought we played flat, I thought we played soft; not like we wanted to be here,” Harris said. “Central had fun, they played hard, just the opposite of what we did.”

The scrimmage benefit was split into two halves as Benton led 21-17 in the first after punting away and the Tigers got the ball with 39.6 seconds left in the first half. The Panthers picked up a sack to push Central back 8 yards, but a late hit gave Central life and the Tigers made Benton pay as quarterback Jacob Howard hit receiver Donald Richards three straight times, the last being a 12-yard touchdown the last play of the half giving the Tigers the 24-21 first-half win. Central also won the second half 21-14 for the 45-35 total.

“I thought we looked really good Friday night in our inter-squad (Maroon-Gray Classic) and then we come out and just don’t play well - offense, defense - I don’t think we were very aggressive,” Harris said. “I didn’t think we were very physical or anything. It’s one of those nights you don’t like to have as a coach or a player.”
