The starting lineups for the Chadron State College football team are shaping up, the coaches report, as they continue to prepare for the season-opener at home on Thursday, Aug. 28 against Nebraska-Kearney. 
              At just past halfway in the fall workouts on Monday, Head Coach Jay Long said there are few, if any, surprises on the team's current two-deep depth chart.  That's because, he added, all of the returning players, as well as most of the transfers, participated in spring practice, learned the system and have continued to work hard.    
              Seven transfers are among the likely starters. That's more than usual, Long noted, but the fact that all of them participated in spring practice, makes it feasible, he added.
The imports include quarterback D.J. Ralph, a left-hander who was formerly the starting signal caller at Saddleback College at Mission Viejo, Calif.    
              "He's our guy," Quarterback Coach Tommy Wilson said. "We hope he can lead us to the promised land.  We think he'll be a good one." 
              Ralph's backup will be another transfer from California. He's Miguel Larios, who formerly played at Victor Valley College. He did not sign with the Eagles until this summer and, of course, did not participate in spring drills.
              "He's caught on fast and has done as well as can be expected," Wilson noted. "Naturally, he's still learning but we like what we've seen so far."
              Three of the probables in the offensive line also are transfers, counting Nick Gossage, who formerly played at Fort Hays State, and was Long's assistant offensive line coach last season. But when he realized he had another semester of eligibility available, decided to play again, worked hard to get back in shape and is listed as the Eagles' No. 1 right guard.
              The other transfers up front are juniors Iskander Albitar at center and Levi Banuelos at right tackle.  Both played for Santa Ana College last fall, when it had a 9-2 record and won a bowl game.  They'll be joined in the offensive line by returning starters D'Anthony Smith of Casper at left tackle and Jacob Nasalroad of Aurora, Colo., at left guard.  
              All five are at least 6-foot-3 and weigh at least 285.  Some of their backups are just as big or bigger and played quite a bit last fall before the transfers were added. 
              "We've still got some moving parts in our starting lineup, but this is what we've sent to Kearney," Long said.  "We've had good competition at nearly all of the positions, and think we'll have more depth than we've had in quite a while. That's a big plus for us."
              Defensively, three transfers are listed as probable starters.  They are cornerbacks Omar Ali and Tasean Young, two more ex-California Juco players, and end William Stemler, a native of Arizona who spent last fall at a college in Missouri, but came to CSC in January. 
              Beginning this week, Long said the Eagles are focusing more on how to counter some of the schemes they anticipate Kearney will employ against them.  The Lopers are expected to have even more transfers in their lineup than the Eagles, but have the same coordinators as last year probably aren't changing the X's and O's too much. 
              "We just need to keep developing and trying to get better every day," Long said. "I'm pleased with the progress we've made so far."