CANTON — St. Lawrence University football has less than three weeks to find a starting quarterback and the right people to fill the gaping hole left by the 16 players lost to graduation.

More than 100 hopefuls put their pads on and hit the practice fields for the first full-contact workout Tuesday morning. Every one of them was glad to finally be on the field again.

"It feels great," said senior lineman Tim LaRose, one of five captains. "We expect a lot, and I think everything is going well."

LaRose, a 2007 Liberty League first-team player, is part of an offensive line unaffected by graduation. Head coach Chris Phelps is happy that's one thing he won't have to worry about rebuilding this year.

"We didn't graduate anyone there," he said. "That makes you feel pretty good."

The line is going to be critical in protecting the new starting quarterback after Brad Heil graduated. Who that new signal- caller is has yet to be determined.

"We have a great battle going on in camp with the three returners — Mike Wayne, Mike Baraldi and JP Kearney," Phelps said. "It's been a good camp so far competition wise."

None of the quarterbacks vying for the starting job has thrown a collegiate pass. Phelps said that the defense needs to play well early in the season to allow the offense to go through the growing pains that come with an inexperienced quarterback.

"Once we get some guys some game experience I think we'll be fine," Phelps said.

Senior cornerback and co-captain Devaun McFarland knows his role is important to keep the defense sharp.

"I see myself as an example-setter," he said. "I want to make sure everybody is vocal and get everybody hyped and ready to play."

McFarland's showed his commitment to the program by working with the underclassmen long before camp started.

"I was up here for the summer doing research," he said. "Some of the younger guys were up here, too. We were able to get some running in, do a lot of lifting, conditioning workouts and stadium runs."

That hard work resulted in a much more efficient and sound opening week of camp and first day of full-contact practice.

"We're conditioned. Everybody is running well and working hard," McFarland said. "The younger guys are starting to come into their own."

Phelps is also happy with how the recruiting class has responded and sees further depth at certain positions than what he initially anticipated.

"We've had some good surprises in the wide receiving corps with the freshman group," he said. "We thought they were solid, but some guys have phenomenal hands and run good routes."

The Saints open the season Sept. 6 at John's Hopkins University. Phelps is confident they can improve on last year's 4-5 overall record despite losing 16 players.

"We feel we're an above-.500 team," he said. "I think if the defense can keep us alive early in the season until the offense gets rolling ... I think we'll be in good shape."