LORMAN &045; Michael Howleit won’t play his senior season this fall with the Alcorn State Braves, head coach Johnny Thomas said.

The senior-to-be who was poised to have a stellar season with the Braves fell academically ineligible to play this fall. The defensive end had his breakout season in 2003 as a junior when he earned first team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference honors in his first year as a starter.

The Braves will open camp next month with players ready to step into the position, including Natchez High product Bryan Woods.

&uot;It leaves a big hole,&uot; Alcorn defensive coordinator LaTraia Jones said. &uot;We were hoping everything would work out, but it didn’t. It leaves a hole to fill, but we’ve got some guys now on campus working hard that are going to try to fill that hole. Sometimes it happens that way. Mike is a tremendous loss, and we’re going to miss him defensively.&uot;

It’s a big loss for a defensive unit that may have been counting on the 6-2, 250-pound Howleit to anchor the front. The line lost plenty of size in tackles Bryan Williams and Eric Roach, and Howleit was set to return with Ross Gordon (6-3, 245) to serve as two good bookends for the front.

Howleit finished last season with 59 tackles to lead all linemen. His 15 tackles for a loss of yardage and six sacks were team highs, and both Howleit and Gordon combined to force five fumbles last season.

Howleit, a Chicago native, had a season-high 14 total tackles in the Braves’ loss at Stephen F. Austin. He was also tabbed as an All-American candidate in ASU’s spring football prospectus.

&uot;It’s just something that happens,&uot; Alcorn head coach Johnny Thomas said. &uot;You can’t do anything about it. You move forward. He just didn’t qualify academically. We’ve got somebody waiting in the wings, but they’ve got to get playing experience.&uot;

Howleit’s absence will open the door for Woods, who played in five games last year and played against Jackson State after Howleit suffered an injury against Alabama A&M.;

Woods, listed at 6-2, 220 pounds in last year’s media guide, got some reps at defensive end during the Braves’ spring scrimmage.

&uot;He’ll play in that spot,&uot; Thomas said. &uot;He’ll have to grow up and play big. I think he’s going to be able to do that. He’s very quick off the ball and very intelligent. He’s relentless.&uot;

In his freshman season, Woods posted just four tackles with one tackle for loss against Prairie View and a half a sack against Mississippi Valley. A member of the 2002 Natchez High team that went 0-11, Woods landed at Alcorn and played as a true freshman.

Now he may have a chance to take the position full time. While he may be 20-30 pounds lighter than Howleit, Woods may be able to make it up in quickness.

Jones said he’ll have to compete with other candidates for the position, namely additions to the roster who arrived from junior colleges.

&uot;He stepped in and was doing a great job for us,&uot; Jones said. &uot;He’s been on campus lifting and trying to get in shape, and we’re really excited about that. Right now it’s his job to lose at this point, but we’ve got some kids on campus young guys coming in.&uot;