SENATOBIA, Miss. - Carter Putt is gaining more and more confidence as the starting quarterback of the Northeast Mississippi Community College football team.
Putt set a new career-high for the third straight game with 33 passing attempts and added his first rushing touchdown as a Tiger in a 45-13 loss to Northwest Mississippi Community College on Thursday, September 23 at Bobby Franklin Field.
"I'm just doing my best to get the ball to our playmakers. That's just been my goal the whole time I've been here," said Putt. "I can still do a whole lot better. I'll stay in there and take any licks that I need to."
Putt got Northeast on the scoreboard with 4:33 remaining in the first quarter with a three-yard scamper across the goal line. It capped a seven-play, 77-yard drive by the Tigers that lasted just over two minutes.
However, the Rangers (3-1, 2-0) scored 24 consecutive points over the next two periods following Putt's touchdown to increase their advantage to 31-6 with 9:52 to go in the third.
Putt accounted for Northeast's final points with a season-long 78-yard pass to Kylan Garrett, who broke a tackle at around the Northwest 30-yard line and raced the rest of the way to the end zone untouched.
"I rolled out left, looked down the field and I saw Kyky deep," Putt said. "He told me right before halftime, 'Look at me. I'm going to be open and make you a play.' The rest of it was him just doing what he can do."
It was the first receiving touchdown of his young career with the Tigers. It was also the second 100-plus yard performance in four contests this year for Garrett, who had a game-high 115 yards on only two catches.
Eight different Northeast (0-4, 0-1) standouts caught at least one pass from Putt. Dallas Payne had a team-best four receptions while Tam Patterson grabbed two throws from out of the backfield.
"The idea and premise was to come in here and throw it," said Tigers head coach Greg Davis. "We have a lot of confidence in Carter. His overall play over the last three weeks has been admirable. He knows where we need to go with the ball."
Carter Bonds recorded the first double-digit tackling performance of any Northeast defender so far this season with 11 tackles plus a sack. He matched that number against Northwest one year ago as well.
Fellow linebackers Jamarcus Smith and Willie Latham, III were not far behind with nine and eight takedowns, respectively. The Tigers broke up six passes as a defensive unit with Keyshawn Cobb accounting for half of that total.
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) commitment Reginald Hughes added five tackles, a sack and a forced fumble that was recovered by Triston Newson in the opening quarter.
Northeast continues rivalry action on Thursday, September 30 by welcoming Itawamba Community College to the City of Hospitality. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Tiger Stadium.