ROGERS — The Rogers football team will have to wait for the diagnosis of several injured starters.
But the Mounties are not waiting to start contingency plans, which include moving junior receiver Graham Parker to quarterback.
The Mounties had five starters out by the end of Friday's home loss to Fort Smith Southside.
Senior lineman Britton Coffin (concussion) and senior defensive back Ben Cabell (leg) did not play against the Rebels and senior quarterback Andy Couture (concussion) and senior receiver Ethan Melton (shoulder) were injured during the game.
Senior linebacker D.J. Smart was ejected in the fourth quarter after a personal foul and must sit out this week's game at Heritage.
The status of the other players was up in the air Monday.
"Obviously D.J. is out," coach Ronnie Peacock said. "I don't know on the other guys. We're going to have to wait on them."
Missing so many starters - including two two-way players - will be hard for a Rogers team that doesn't have the numbers it did before the school district split last year.
"You take five starters off of anybody - and certainly the caliber of Ethan, Andy and D.J. - that's going to impact any team in the conference," Peacock said. "But maybe us a little bit more seeing we're going through the split-type thing and depth is not nearly as good as it has been in the past.
"Hopefully these kids will be able to come back. Hopefully it won't be a permanent deal."
Until Couture comes back, Parker will take over at quarterback. Parker worked there during spring practices and the team camp to Missouri State while Couture was recovering from a hand injury.
Although Parker is a gifted athlete, he does not have Couture's knowledge of the offense or experience at quarterback.
"Obviously we can't run the exact same thing," Peacock said. "He's not Andy. He doesn't have the experience and the knowledge of what Andy can do. So obviously we'll have to adjust and do some things different.
"It would be difficult (but) you shift gears and you have to continue on because that's what you have to do."
Sports, Pages 5 on 09/29/2009