By Erik Harris
Sports editor
PINSON — Pinson Valley has no game plan to devise for this Friday night, no opponent to study or player to dissect.
The Indians’ opposition for Week 8 is looking right back at them in the mirror and it’s telling them to figure out what to do with their offense with a playoff spot still up for claim.
This idle week couldn’t have come at a better time for Pinson Valley (3-4, 2-2 in Class 6A, Region 6). After winning a key contest over region foe Huffman last week, the Indians can take the practice field and just focus on themselves for a few days.
Pinson Valley senior running back Nick Gibson looks for running room against McAdory this season.
file photo by Ron Burkett
There is much work to be done, as head coach Matt Glover benched his starting quarterback, Errius Collins, in a 17-0 home loss to McAdory on Sept. 26.
Collins, a junior, has not taken the field since. He didn’t play at Huffman and it remains uncertain if the original starter will eventually return to orchestrate Pinson Valley’s offense.
Freshman Jackie Matthews has served as the replacement. Matthews has led his offense to 13 points through five quarters of play. Six of them came on a 34-yard connection to Trey Underwood in the second quarter of the Huffman game.
Prior to Collins’ benching, the Indians were averaging 33.4 points per game. But despite the production, Glover had a decision to make after Collins lost his composure on that homecoming night.
Will Pinson Valley take off its cleats for a little time away from the practice field like Clay-Chalkville? Will it take the week to heal some players? Who knows?
But this is unquestionable: offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jon Clements will be devoted to the progression of his quarterback — whoever it is — before the Center Point game Oct. 17.
A win over the Eagles would likely secure Pinson Valley as Class 6A, Region 6’s fourth seed for the playoffs. It would be Glover’s fifth straight postseason run with the Indians.
