LORMAN &045; Charlie Spiller’s touchless game apparently didn’t go unnoticed.

The All-SWAC wide receiver made a significant presence in Saturday’s win over Prairie View A&M and made it quickly. After not catching a pass the previous week for only the second time in his career, Spiller caught a 32-yard pass on the game’s first play, ran for 15 on the second play and caught a 34-yard pass three plays later.

It helped ignite a dormant passing game to complement what has turned into the most productive ground game in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

&8221;Actually, he was open, but I was trying to find him,&8220; said quarterback Tony Hobson, the freshman who had his best outing for throwing for 202 yards in his first interception-free game. &8221;Last week he didn’t have a reception, and it was very disappointing to me. I wanted to come out, hit him early and get the team on a roll. It helped all the other receivers get open.&8220;

Whether the offense is more centered around the run or the pass, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out Spiller has got to touch the ball if the Braves want to win. Of the 28 games the Woodville native has played since he first dressed out in 2003, the loss to UAPB was the first since game since the Fort Valley loss in Week 5 two seasons ago that he did not catch a pass.

That puts Alcorn 0-2 when Spiller doesn’t catch a pass.

&8221;We wanted to put him in different situations where he can get the ball to make things happen,&8220; Alcorn head coach Johnny Thomas said. &8221;He had a pretty good day (Saturday) and made an extraordinary catch. He made one catch going out of bounds keeping one foot in bounds. We threw the football early on and got Prairie View to loosen up a little bit. Then we started to run the football with a great deal of success.&8220;

The old adage of a running game being a quarterback’s best friend held up in Saturday’s win for the Braves, and it allowed the passing game to finally find a gear with Hobson connecting with Spiller, Oliver Bozeman and six others on the day.

Hobson connected with eight different receivers, also a personal best. Spiller had four catches for 89 yards, his best since a 223-yard game last year at Alabama A&M.;

&8221;Coach told me before the season started we’d learn as the season went on,&8220; Hobson said. &8221;The main thing I focused on all week was settling down. I knew I had to go into the game confident. The offensive line did a great job protecting me. I think we had a pretty balanced attack.&8220;

Hobson’s interception-free game may have had the biggest impact on the offense. For a team that’s been dogged by turnovers in recent weeks, the Braves had just one fumble while Hobson made better decisions with the football.

At critical points he even kept it and ran. On a third-and-5 situation in the first quarter, he kept it and for a first down after running back Michael Spepherd provided a key block to get extra yardage.

Hobson ran in the first touchdown and had another key run for a first down in the second half to maintain a drive that ended in a 6-yard touchdown pass to Ken Williams.

&8221;The most critical thing was we didn’t throw an interception,&8220; Thomas said. &8221;We made good decisions throwing the football. He made good decisions, and that was the result we told him that can happen. Good things happen when you don’t turn the football over. That’s what we’re trying to get to as a team. The guys are going through growing pains.&8220;Hobson’s game Saturday was welcomed with open arms as the Braves came into the contest last in the conference in passing. Coaches praised Hobson’s ability to catch on quickly prior to the start of training camp, but he had to sit the first 2

weeks to heal a injury suffered during the high school All-Star game.

Now everyone’s hoping it’s a sign of things to come. And there’s little pressure with the ground game executing near flawlessly.

&8221;We played Alabama State, and he had a pretty good first series and collapsed a little bit,&8220; Thomas said. &8221;Against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, he didn’t make good decisions. Against Prairie View, he just relaxed and had some fun, made good decisions and had a pretty good game. He ran the football when he had to run and threw the football when receivers were open and not throwing an interception. That can give him confidence, and that’s what he needs.&8220;

NOTES &045; Prairie View offensive lineman Chris Hudson was taken off the field on a stretcher at the end of the game and transported to Jackson with what trainers thought could have been a broken neck. Further observation revealed only whiplash. &8221;You can imagine what the bus ride was like driving seven or eight hours thinking the kid had a broken neck,&8220; PV head coach Henry Frazier said MondayŠ.Alcorn defensive lineman Oren Long drew a 15-yard penalty when he got up and celebrated following his sack of quarterback Michael Hill. Coaches gave the sophomore a tongue lashing on the sideline and made him do rolls, a punishment that drew boos from fansŠ.Defensive end Joe Keys suffered a concussion when he went down in midway through the second quarter.