The void left after both starting offensive tackles graduated last season wasn't nearly as big as the holes their replacements opened up for Carroll College's running game on Thursday.

Playing their first fall scrimmage of the season, the No. 2 Saints' offensive line had the purple squad pushing their way down the field as a revamped defense worked to keep up.

Missing Dan Layton and All-American left tackle Adam Brockway to graduation, the Saints' O-line didn't make many missteps as it helped junior running back John Camino to roughly 92 yards on just two carries, redshirt freshman Chance Demarais to 73 yards and Ryan Egan to 16.

";The offensive line must've been doing something right," said Saints head coach Mike Van Diest. ";With the center three of (Alex) Pfannenstiel, (Andy) Fjeseth and Luke Den Herder, that's so solid."

The three returners from last year's NAIA runner-up team are joined by another veteran on the line, Mike Vickhammer, who missed most of last season with a knee injury. He's has surgery on his left knee twice since hurting it midway his freshman year, when he showed he could produce results as a young starter.

He is working in conjunction with two sophomores, Connor Goudreau and Zach Zosel, who might not have much experience, but certainly have some size and strength.

Goudreau is 6-foot-5 and listed as 235 on last year's roster, though he's certainly put on more since last season; meanwhile Zosel was listed at 6-3, 255.

";They did what they were supposed to do," Vickhammer said about his teammates on the line. ";They did their job and helped the others."

Vickhammer said he gets a little bit of help himself from Pfannenstiel, who returns as one of the top offensive linemen in the country, placing in CollegeFanz.com's ";Super 72" players.

";It's nice having Alex right next to me," he said. Meanwhile, ";(The knee) feels good; I can't complain right now.

";I'm working on quicker lateral movements."

Both Camino and Demarais broke away from the line for big runs. Camino's first went 12 yards, while a second, against the No. 2 defense, landed him in the end zone after an 80-yard dash.

Demarais made an impressive leap over a down lineman to pick up 18 yards and save the offense on third down during one of their drives. His biggest run would be a 40-yard breakaway.

Egan carried five times, mostly with the No. 2 squad, picking up some ground and getting a good word from Van Diest in the end.

Missing from action were rushing leader Gabe Le and backup Jeff Deal, who were both on the sidelines nursing minor bumps and bruises.

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Christian Prosperie looked like a man on a mission, making two spectacular grabs for 35 yards.

The first was a 28-yard break over the middle, while the second was a short slant that he caught, spun away from a defender before being tackled for a 7-yard gain.

";Christian Prosperie was unbelievable," Van Diest said.

Having been a starter since his freshman year, the junior showed Van Diest a few of the flashes of brilliance he can have, but hasn't really lived up to the last two seasons.

Both of his catches came with the No. 2 squad, which might be pushing him to compete for the spots left open by three seniors last year.

";He's a guy we've been waiting on," Van Diest said. ";He's gotta earn it. Talent's brought him here, now he has to work for it."

Junior wide receiver Mac Kirk, meanwhile, had five catches for roughly 104 yards to lead the receivers, including one that went about 45 yards against the No. 2s.

He helped pad the stats for junior quarterback Gary Wagner, who went 8-for-10 for 133 yards, and sophomore Dane Broadhead, who finished 4-for-6 for 43 yards.

";It helps a lot when you have the run game working well," Kirk said. ";It leaves it open for the play-action pass."

Both former starters recovered from surgery during the offseason and made strides during the scrimmage.

Wagner even pushed his right ankle, which he broke during the second game of last season, by running out of the pocket and taking an uncharacteristic slide. Broadhead also moved out the pocket, though facing off with the No. 1 defense was sacked three times by a top-notch defensive line.

Juniors Mike Ogrin and Garrett Thompson return as starters while Mason Siddick adds senior experience and Travis Schmidt, Colton Schofield and Bryce Picard were all pointed out by Van Diest and possible young replacements.

Meanwhile, the defense has its work cut out most at linebacker, where five players graduated.

";We had our struggles of course," said junior Thomas Dolan, who joins lone returning starter Mac Gordon in the linebacking corps. ";We didn't stop the run like we needed to."

Still, the defense has shown the signs of strength that helped it lead the nation in 2007 and among the top five in 2008.

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The Saints haven't had to suffer the usual heat that teams endure during two-a-day practices this fall. Nearly two-thirds the way through their scrimmage storm clouds dropped a fast and heavy rainfall that included some dime-sized hail.

";Luckily I wasn't (playing) when it began to rain and hail," Dolan said. ";I put my helmet on to protect my head."

Among those that braved the weather for a while and watched alma mater play was former All-American center Kyle Baker.

The Carroll grad recently finished his Master's degree from Notre Dame and has been working as the assistant director at the Legendary Lodge. He will be joining his fiance a the Institute for Excellence and Ethics, but first wanted to see his old squad play.

He was pretty impressed with the group of offensive linemen, who are much taller than the young man, who stands under six feet tall.

";We were just a bunch of little guys," Baker said.

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The Saints scrimmage again Saturday, which should prove to have a bigger impact on the starting roster.

";Saturday's going to be a real key for us," Van Diest said. ";We've got to decide who's going to be the top 44 players and who's going to be in the top 60."

Practice is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., with the scrimmage beginning after a short warmup.

Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or jeff.windmueller@

helenair.com