[08/22/03] Even before it gets a chance to start the season with a win, Porters Chapel Academy may have suffered a crushing loss.

The Eagles open the 2003 season at home tonight against Tensas Academy, but could be without starting tailback and safety Gerald Mims. The junior, who threw for 649 yards and eight touchdowns at quarterback last season, suffered a knee injury in practice earlier this week.

The severity of the injury wasn’t clear. PCA coach Bubba Mims said his son could play tonight, or be out as long as 10 weeks. If Gerald Mims can’t go, the Eagles will use a combination of backups and fullbacks to run the ball.

Kenny Simms, Josh Lancaster, J.D. Lee and Humphrey Barlow will all see more carries. Simms ran for 170 yards on 37 carries as a backup last season, while Lancaster played on PCA’s undefeated junior high team. Lee and Barlow were on the varsity squad, but each got only a handful of carries.

“They all can play. They’re all going to play anyway. Gerald was just in the mix,” Bubba Mims said. “If Gerald’s not in there, they’re just going to see more time.”

Tensas coach Chris Jacobs was especially wary of Barlow, a 6-foot, 190-pound bruiser at fullback. He got more chances during several summer scrimmages, and could give the smaller Chiefs problems.

Tensas only has three players that weigh more than 200 pounds, and PCA has a decided size advantage on the line. A bigger back like Barlow would only add to the Chiefs’ misery if the Eagles can get him going.

“They seem to feature the tailback a little more, but they ran enough dive plays and featured him blocking that he seems to be a big part of their offense,” Jacobs said. “They’re going to be a little bigger than us, and a little more experienced. I think we’re definitely going to have to do a good job up front.”

Despite the Eagles’ advantage on the line, Jacobs liked his team’s chances. In their summer scrimmages the Chiefs limited the turnovers and mistakes that hurt them so badly last year, and they seem to have grasped the new T-formation offense.

Tensas has been one of the more pass-happy Academy-A schools in the past, but will stick mainly with the run this season. The T-formation offense relies on fakes and misdirection and is a run-oriented set.

In a preseason jamboree against River Oaks, Tensas attempted only two passes in two quarters. Bubba Mims was skeptical the Chiefs would only show the one set, however.

“I expect them to run more than just that T. We’re preparing for that, but we’re preparing for some other stuff, too,” Mims said.

One thing both coaches were preparing for was a close, hard-fought game. Both teams are coming off disappointing seasons Tensas went 3-7 in 2002, while PCA stumbled down the stretch and finished 5-5 and could use a win to start the new year off right.

“Neither one of us lost big numbers. I think it’s a good match for both of us. It’s a good ballgame, and either one of us has a chance to win the game,” Jacobs said. “We open the first two weeks with opportunities to get a win if we capitalize on our opportunities. We have to step up and take advantage of it.”