RAYMOND – Two games in, Hinds Community College is off to an un-Hinds like 0-2 start. The Eagles will try to get on track tonight when they host Coahoma Community College at Renfroe Stadium.

Last week in Poplarville, the Eagles were torched by Pearl River CC quarterback Jimmy Oliver, who threw for 462 yards and five touchdowns in leading the defending National Junior College champions to a 48-26 rout. The win was also PRCC’s third straight over Hinds, including two in consecutive Mississippi Association of Community and Junior College’s championship games.

Coahoma (0-2) has been one of the MACJC’s doormats for most of the past two decades but the Tigers have been competitive this season. They gave perennial north division playoff participant Mississippi Delta a tough game last week before falling 42-26 in Clarksdale.

Hinds coach J. Mike Smith says the Eagles need to play well.

&#8221We need, pretty badly, to play hard and play well,“ Smith said. &#8221It’s a chance to gain confidence, but we’ve got to play hard and good.“

Smith feels the Eagles should be 1-1 but let a season opening game with Southwest Community College slip away at home, 19-13.

&#8221Our defense played well enough against Southwest and that’s a game we should’ve won,“ Smith said.

Despite giving up the big numbers to PRCC’s Oliver, Smith said he was not disappointed in the defense, but was with the Eagles’ offense.

&#8221Pearl River is a very talented team on offense and when Oliver plays like he did, they’re really tough. We had one of our defensive guys get hurt and they were able to hurt us on some deep routes. But I was really disappointed in our offense a lot more than the defense.

&#8221We’re just not very consistent on that side of the ball. We’re not making third downs and we’re turning the ball over. In a lot of ways, with the people we have back, I thought we’d be good enough to keep pace with Pearl River on offense,“ Smith said.

Hinds is led by quarterback Seth Adams, who connected on touchdown passes of 25 and 4 yards last week against Pearl River. The 4-yarder went to Vicksburg High product Ben Shelton. Clinton’s Paul Cavett is the Eagles’ featured running back.

Coahoma is led by quarterback Semaj Williams, who completed 16 passes for 194 yards in the loss to Mississippi Delta.