LORMAN &045; Already unsettled about how the team’s starting offensive line would shake out this season, Alcorn offensive coordinator John McKenzie really didn’t like what he saw.

That was the end of spring, and the start of fall camp didn’t do anything to ease the tension. The front has little depth. A returning starter wasn’t welcomed back. Two key players from last season came in overweight.

Rashaud Cole, pegged to start at right guard, came in at 418 pounds after arriving last fall as a freshman at 350 pounds.

&uot;He went home over the summer, and that was the first mistake,&uot; McKenzie said. &uot;We tried to talk to him about eating right, but he’s a freshman going back home for the first time. His mom tried to load up the kitchen for him, and he tried to eat it.&uot;

But Cole, like others on the front line, have worked hard to get where he needs to be. He’s dropped 11 pounds, senior tackle Jonathan Lowe has dropped some weight and others on the line who were thrown to the fire last year as babies are picking things up like veterans as the team heads into Saturday’s season opener at Southeastern Louisiana.

Cole is down to 407 and working hard.

&uot;Being 20 years old, how much more can he add?&uot; McKenzie said. &uot;He’d be a better athlete if he loses some weight, but he works extremely hard and never quits. It’s a testament to his character, but at 325 pounds he could probably play on Sundays.&uot;

Lowe admitted he came in overweight, too, after spending his summer in grad school at the University of Missouri. But now he, too, has gotten back into shape thanks to a rigorous fall camp and is awfully optimistic about how the line is coming together.

He ought to be &045; Lowe is the only senior on the line and the only senior starter on the offense. And for the first time in his college career, he’s playing the same position he played the season prior with the Braves.

&uot;We have a saying &045; our mistakes are magnified and our success goes unheard,&uot; Lowe said. We came in overweight and got down. We’re in great shape, and we believe there’s no team in the SWAC that’s in better shape than us. Coach (Antonio) Wallace and Coach (Johnny) Thomas do a great job of preparing our minds and our bodies. If you get the mind right, the body will follow.&uot;

Thomas and his staff have found their starters on the line, although there’s not much depth. Junior college transfer Jermaine Pruitt will start at center in place of last year’s starter Chris Seymour, and red-shirt freshman Bronson Carvalho (6-2, 312) will get the start at left tackle.

Lowe (6-3, 305) and Cole are holdovers from last year along with left guard Justin Telemaque (6-3, 327). But depth? Todd Johnson (6-2, 330) in the backup at either guard position, and it’s Lowe’s job if anyone else goes down.

&uot;We’ve found some continuity with our first five, but after that we’re treading on thin ice,&uot; Thomas said. &uot;There’s not very much depth there. (Lowe) is the leader of the group.&uot;

Everyone else, McKenzie said, are just young and won’t play unless it’s an emergency. The Braves have 13 linemen on roster, but only six will play on a regular basis &045; down from the team’s normal eight to 10 that can rotate in and out if needed.

And don’t forget about Oliver Bozeman making his first college start Saturday against the Lions.

&uot;It’s amazing &045; we came together fast,&uot; Lowe said. &uot;We came together real fast. We had a great two-a-days. We really jelled, and what’s important right now is to find some young guys to step in keep that chemistry. I’m excited. I’m really anxious about this season. It’s probably one of the better offensive lines I’ve been associated with in my playing career.&uot;

The reason for optimism as the season opens is there’s experience and good size across that front this season. Last fall the Braves had freshmen starting at both guard spots and inexperience across the board, and teams brought the blitz on a weekly basis.

Now Carvalho and Pruitt are the new guys, but they should fit in well.

&uot;We were really high on both of those guys when we signed them,&uot; McKenzie said. &uot;We knew they had great potential, but you never know until you get them out there. They’re better than what we expected. Both of them &045; we can depend on them. We’ve got to have (Lowe) out there, especially with Seymour missing. We’ve got to have him out there.&uot;

The newcomers and the experienced linemen may get a test right off the bat Saturday when the Braves visit SLU. The Lions were a good team up front last year and tried to bring the blitz packages to keep the Braves from allowing standout receivers Charlie Spiller and Nate Hughes from getting open deep.

That may be the case again Saturday, especially with Bozeman making his first start, but Lowe said his mates up front welcome it.

&uot;It’s real important for us to stay together this week,&uot; Lowe said. &uot;We’re playing an older team. Southeastern lost three guys off their defense last year. I think it worked out better we played Southeastern first. They’re a very technique-sound team. If we can handle those guys, we can handle anybody in the SWAC.&uot;