LORMAN – Alcorn State head coach Johnny Thomas is looking to the future, not focusing on the past. That’s probably a good thing since the Braves are coming off an 0-11 season – the worst year in school history.

On Saturday Thomas gave ASU fans an early glimpse into the upcoming season when the Braves closed out spring drills with the annual Purple and Gold game in Lorman.

The game was a mismatch with the Gold winning 26-0, but Thomas said he was pleased with the progress his squad has made during the spring.

&uot;We had an outstanding spring,&uot; Thomas said. &uot;We are trying to make sure everyone has a positive attitude, because that is conducive to getting us headed in the right direction. Our players have responded this spring to the challenges we have put in front of them.&uot;

The Gold team certainly responded to every challenge the Purple gave them on Saturday in the 26-0 win.

The Gold defense held the Purple to just 71 yards of total offense while the Gold offense used a balanced offensive attack led by sophomore quarterback Donald Carrie to crank out 255 yards of offense.

&uot;Carrie has risen to the top in the quarterback race,&uot; Thomas said. &uot;He is a special individual. He played on the scout team last year and didn’t miss a single practice. He’s smart, very coachable and a natural leader.&uot;

Carrie was 5-of-10 through the air for 135 yards and one TD. He also added 14 yards and one score on the ground. His one-yard run with 7:52 remaining in the second quarter put the Gold in front 6-0.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, but the Gold finished with a flourish as it scored 20 points in the final stanza to pull away for the win.

A 54-yard pass from Carrie to Ronald Gilmore pushed the advantage to 12-0 early in the fourth quarter, and less than two minutes later the lead grew to 18-0 when Tyrone Parsons picked off an errant throw and returned it 54 yards.

The final score of the contest came with just 1:29 remaining in the fourth quarter when Gilmore caught his second touchdown of the quarter, this time a 4-yard thread the needle pass in the endzone from Bruce Johnson.

&uot;We have our sights set on this upcoming season,&uot; Thomas said. &uot;We are not looking back. I can’t afford to look back, and we can’t let our players do it. We are not on a losing streak. We are 0-0 just like everyone else.&uot;