TAMPA — A quarterback from the past kicked off the night. A quarterback for the future finished it.
Sophomore Rex Culpepper, the son of former Buc Brad Culpepper, took over for injured starter Colby Brown after halftime as Plant beat Robinson 28-7 Friday in the Panthers’ home opener at Dad’s Stadium.
Before the game, Robert Marve, who led Plant to its first state title in 2006, was inducted into the Panthers’ football hall of fame.
Culpepper got his first varsity snaps after Brown left with an undisclosed right hand injury. The hand was bandaged, but coach Robert Weiner said Brown should be available Friday at Gaither.
“(Brown) should be fine,” Weiner said. “He banged his hand late in the first half. … It was a great situation (for Culpepper) to come into a game when we were up a little bit. The rest of the guys rallied around him and played great.”
Running back Alexander Jackson rushed for 145 yards, highlighted by a 50-yard TD run with 1:42 left in the second quarter to give Plant an 18-0 lead. The Panthers limited Robinson to 44 total yards offense.