If you were a 5-10, 180-pound cornerback, you would not want to see No. 62 for Bryant charging around the end in search of a 5-10, 180-pound cornerback to flatten.

That’s because Alex Grande fills that football jersey, and the 6-foot senior weighs 270 pounds. Few cornerbacks would relish a collision with him.

Grande played a key role in the Bulldogs 39-36 triumph over Southern Connecticut last week and should be in the thick of the action tomorrow, when Bryant (1-1) hosts Merrimack (1-0) as the highlight of Homecoming & Reunion Weekend.

A senior from New Bedford, Grande led the blocking for many of the dives and sweeps that enabled Jerell Smith to rush for 221 yards on 34 carries, both career highs. Even standing in the end zone after a Smith touchdown, Grande looked like he still wanted to knock somebody down.

“He played really well,” head coach Marty Fine said.

Grande, a captain this season, shared playing time with last year with Barrington Little, who graduated.

“He waited his time behind good players. Now it’s his turn,” Fine said.

Grande lined up at right guard between center John Tashjian (6-4, 280) and tackle Ben Lyons (6-7, 320). On the left side were guard Jacob Meyers (6-3, 330) and tackle Peter Krafka (6-3, 280). They pass-blocked so well that Southern Connecticut did not sack quarterback Jay Graber.

Tashjian and Krafka started last season, and Meyers was All-Northeast Conference.

Freshman Raymond Bundy (6-0, 310) of Bristol and La Salle Academy saw action at left guard and will start there tomorrow. Freshman Robert Edwards (6-0, 260) will also play that position. Meyers will return to his right-tackle slot and rotate with Lyons.

“Nobody is being demoted. We need to develop depth,” Fine said.

Sophomore Brian Kelly (6-6, 307) at left tackle, senior Jordan Levesque (5-10, 240) of Fall River at center and sophomore Jon Lewis (6-2, 260) at right tackle are also in the mix. Tight ends Tyler DiGiovanni (6-6, 290), Doug Emerzian (6-4, 250) and Jarrett Solimando (6-1, 220) can block and catch. Solimando made a couple of fine catches, one for a touchdown, last week.

Running back Lindsey Gamble is back in the lineup after serving a one-game suspension for violating a team rule. He and Smith give the Bulldogs aone-two punch.

Merrimack is the second and last Division II opponent Bryant will play this season. The Warriors gave rookie head coach John Perry a 42-7 victory over Division III Husson last week in their season opener.

On the local gridiron

In other games tomorrow, UMass Dartmouth (0-1) will visit Bridgewater State (0-1) and Salve Regina will open at home against N.Y. Maritime (1-0).

The Corsairs dropped their season opener to WPI, 34-28, in five overtimes last Friday night, and coach Mark Robichaud has used the frustration of that loss to motivate his team in practice this week.

Salve Regina will try to rebound from a 2-7 season. The Seahawks’ last winning season was in 2000. Fullback Ryan Hazinakis of Newport and defensive end Matt DeSisto of Barrington are listed on the two-deep.

Brown is the only college team in the area yet to play. The Bears will kick off their season Sept. 20 at home against Stony Brook and open the Ivy League season the following week at Brown Stadium against Harvard.

mszostak@projo.com