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GREENSBORO -- Lee Fobbs allowed himself to enjoy the first win of his tenure at N.C. A&T late Saturday night. Once the clock struck midnight, he turned into a football coach again.

"We're not going to discard winning the game," Fobbs said Monday of the 44-12 verdict over Division II Johnson C. Smith, "but it's all over now. We've got to get ready for our next opponent."

That's Winston-Salem State, which was idle over the weekend and owns a two-game winning streak in the series entering Saturday's 6 p.m. game in Aggie Stadium.

Along those lines, the best thing the coaches heard all night -- save the declaration of the final score -- was the mind-set of the players, who quelled the celebration with admonitions of dire consequences to anybody who showed up late to Sunday's weight-training session. There were no reports of tardiness.

"We've got to stay hungry and humble," said junior linebacker Andre Thornton, who weathered 22 defeats the previous two seasons. "It's a new week, a new day, a new game."

The Aggies know their first opponent was overmatched and not representative of the MEAC, which is why drawing certain conclusions is specious at best. Still, there were a few intriguing developments from Saturday.

Thomas Hearn, a true freshman from Durham, started at right guard and administered 10 knockdown blocks. That's a nice three-game total in one night's work, and it made him the clear choice for offensive player of the game, according to the coaches' internal award system.

"When I asked, there was no question of who it was," Fobbs said. "There were always people on the ground, and he was always around it."

Backup tailback Dione McNair, a junior from Randleman who barely played his first two seasons on the team, bolted for 92 yards on 18 carries and suggested he can be a nice foil and source of relief for starter Michael Ferguson. McNair moved up the depth chart when Demerick Chancellor and David "Speedy" Robinson left the program, and he'll remain prominent in the immediate future.

"Last year, we felt Dione had the ability, but he never got into a flow," Fobbs said. "We never really got him into the game the way we wanted to. Injuries at certain times kept him out. He came into camp in great shape and showed the promise we thought he could show. It wasn't really a big surprise to us."

The Aggies didn't have to throw the ball much against a team they dominated from the opening kickoff, and their play selection -- 52 runs and 22 passes -- won't necessarily be duplicated against the Rams. Going up top for a 26-yard completion to Cedric Byrd on the first offensive play of the season indicated offensive coordinator John McKenzie's faith in the concept of balance.

WSSU went 6-5 a year ago but must replace the bulk of that team, including quarterback Monte Purvis and tailback Jed Bines. The Rams will have 2008 game film on the Aggies, but A&T won't have reciprocal opportunities because Winston-Salem State hasn't played yet.

"Is it fair? It's how you prepare your kids for the game," Fobbs said.

Contact Rob Daniels at 373-7028 or rob.daniels@news-record.com