Panthers Keep Focusing

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ After losing RB/DB Ben Harris to injury in week two, the injuries continued to pile up in week three for Pinckneyville in a loss at Benton.

The usual starting quarterback, Nathan Morton, didn't practice for much of the week leading up to the game, and was replaced at starter by Cody Smith for the first half.

Bryant Lively racked up 96 rushing yards before the half, but suffered an elbow contusion towards the end of the second quarter and did not return.

"It was a lot better today, it's a day to day thing, but we're hoping he'll be able to go," said Panthers head coach Tod Rushing.

"We've prepared as if we won't have him, but I guess he'd be labeled 'probable' if this was the NFL."

Jake Bathon showcased his ability on a punt-return-for-touchdown in the game, but he, too, could not escape the injury bug that has plagued the Panthers in '08.

"He strained his groin a little bit, we're trying to ease him back in this week," said Rushing, adding "I thought him and Bryant Lively had very good games, if we can get some people healed up we may have some weapons."

Morton has mended up well enough to practice, and Rushing says he's looked good enough to start at Nashville Friday night.

"We had (the starting job) opened up this week and told them whoever had the best week was going to be the quarterback, and right now he's looked pretty good," Rushing said.

One of the things that had been going well for the Panthers, defense, also took a bit of a step back from previous efforts, but they were not helped by the offensive miscues.

"They got a little frustrated and it showed in their play," said Rushing. "I think they went flat for the first time all season, and I told them 'you can't do that.' That's something we have to rely on, our defense."

Despite a shaky first half, Rushing says he was impressed with the way the defense played following the break.

"They responded well, (the Rangers) didn't have many yards in that second half, and they were still trying to put the ball in the end zone," said Rushing.

The Panthers' week four opponent, Nashville, defeated Benton earlier in the season.

"We're comparable, I think (the Benton game) was our worst game," Rushing said. "If we come out focused, we can win the ballgame, but if we come out like we did last week with our minds not focused on what's important, we could struggle."

"I told them 'sometimes you have so much talent you can just go through the motions, we don't, it's going to take our best effort physically and mentally to be competitive,'' Rushing said.

After trading blows with Nashville this week, the Panthers will return home to face Du Quoin in week five.