INJURY FORCES JACKSON TO SEND YOUNGER QBs INTO BATTLE TONIGHT

If Jackson starting quarterback Chris Stockton had to get injured, he picked a good time to do it.

The Indians (3-1) take on winless Beaumont out of St. Louis tonight, the first of three consecutive, very winnable home games.

That's not saying that backup quarterbacks John Jackson, a junior, and sophomore Bryan Austin aren't capable of beating top-notch teams. It's just that Stockton, who has a sprained shoulder and caught the flu this week, has been very effective in his first four outings.

Jackson coach Carl Gross said Thursday that Stockton would probably dress tonight, but wouldn't play unless neither Jackson nor Austin could take a snap.

But Gross has stated from the beginning of the year that he has confidence in Jackson (6-foot-2, 160) and Austin (5-9, 160), who will share time tonight.

"They both can throw the football," Gross said. "Bryan is a little more mobile than John and runs a little better, but John understands and runs the offense a little better because he's had one more year to work our offense. A lot of teams would probably love to have either one as their starter."

Beaumont enters tonight's game with an 0-4 record, being outscored by its opponents 100-27. The most points Beaumont has scored in a game is 13, that coming in a 42-13 loss to Sumner, a team which Jackson defeated earlier this year 31-30. Beaumont trailed just 14-13 at halftime against Sumner, but Sumner's highly touted running back Tyrone Griffin -- a one-man wrecking crew against Jackson -- did not play in that game.

The Blue Jackets are led offensively by Kenneth Smith, Jerome Robertson and Carnell Wings, a triple threat in the backfield. Robertson has 236 yards on 27 carries this season for 8.74 yards per carry. Smith averages seven yards a pop for 197 yards in four games. Wings also has 125 yards on 23 carries. Those three running backs have combined for 558 yards in three games.

"They're very athletic," Gross said of Beaumont's team. "They can run and they're not super organized so it's hard to game plan against them. They do a little of this and a little of that so you have to adjust on the fly."

Jackson, meanwhile, is coming off a 26-14 loss to a tough Dyersburg, Tenn. team.

The Indians played Dyersburg closely, but caught some tough breaks down the stretch.

And the tough breaks continued in practice this week.

The team has been passing the flu around as much as the football it seems. Several players missed one or two practices this past week.

Offensive linemen Tim Spradlin won't start this week, but will play. Tight end/linebacker Kevin Brunke was out a couple of practices and fullback Jason Schuller, who had been hampered with an arch sprain last week, also came down with the flu bug and missed a practice.

Gross said Schuller's foot was at about 90 percent healthy and he will see a lot of minutes tonight.

As far as the flu, "It's run its course," Gross said. "Hopefully it will get out of here."

PREP FOOTBALL

Tonight's Games

(7:30 p.m. kickoffs)

Cape Central at Graves Co., Ky.

Beaumont at Jackson

Scott City at Chaffee

St. Vincent at Crystal City

Fredericktown at Valle

Malden at Charleston

Poplar Bluff at Springfield Kickapoo

Alton, Ill. at Sikeston

New Madrid at Caruthersville

Portageville at Kennett

East Prairie at Dexter

Hayti at Thayer

Nashville at Anna-Jonesboro

Cairo at Christopher (7 p.m.)

Saturday's Game

Brentwood at Perryville, 1:30 p.m.