Sequestered on the farthest practice field during McNeese State’s first day of spring drills, Ben Norton circled his offensive linemen.

Norton is a hulking man with a firm, yet instructive tone. Protections and techniques are reviewed, interrupted only by one question, which Norton stops to thoroughly explain to the group before imploring the men around him to get back to a drill.

“He’s definitely brought more fire to the (offensive) line,” running back Ryan Ross said. “First day, you could see that he’s getting after them a little bit, making them do this and do that. They’re running around a little bit now.”

Norton, a McNeese assistant from 2005-06 was an interconference coup late in the offseason coaching cycle, departing Northwestern State after four seasons — the final two of which he served as offensive coordinator — in late February.

His hire was made official March 1, 16 days before his new team opened spring drills.

“Feels like I’ve been working here three months when, officially, I don’t even think I’ve been here two weeks yet,” Norton quipped after Friday’s first spring practice. “Having the opportunity to rejoin a program of this stature and of the tradition was something that I felt was extremely attractive to me.”

“Having a chance to come out this next season and win a conference championship means a big thing,” he added, “because I think this team is primed and ready to do that.”

Norton assumes Eman Naghavi’s titles of offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator but also adds running game coordinator, a position the Cowboys did not specifically have last season.

Offensive coordinator Landon Hoefer retains final play-calling duties, though he said Norton will be responsible for “95 percent” of the in-game adjustments with the running game and protection schemes with the offensive line.

“It’s hard to directly communicate all that to me really fast (during a game), so it’s his job to make the adjustments with runs and protections,” Hoefer said. “He’s going to put together the plan and we’re going to run the runs that he wants to run and he’s comfortable with how he wants to attack them … Once we’re in the game, I just need him to tell me what’s good and what’s not.”

Along with running backs coach Dennis Smith, Norton inherits a running game that failed to meet expectations last season. It mustered 137.1 yards per game, eighth-best in the Southland Conference, behind a raw offensive line attempting to replace three starters.

Judging the line’s progression without full pads is difficult, Norton said — the Cowboys don’t don those until March 22 — but a crop of redshirted players mixes with some of the replacements who gained vital experience last season.

Friday’s first-team offensive line featured two seniors: Jalen Smith at left tackle and Joe Jenkins at right tackle. Redshirt sophomore Grant Burguillos was at left guard, redshirt freshman Joe Latronico was at center and junior Jimmy Converse was at right guard.

Jenkins started all 11 games last season at right tackle, as did Converse at right guard.

“It is nice to have young guys at that position as a combination with some veteran guys who’ve played some downs of football in this league and done well,” Norton said. “It’s a good mix.”

This all, of course, comes with a caveat. Head coach Lance Guidry made it clear Friday he is not afraid to make depth-chart changes on a practice-by-practice basis.

Chris Aye, a Louisiana Tech transfer who sat out last season but was allowed to practice with the team, will surely see time. As will Tyrae Johnson, who played in 10 games last season. Aye worked at second-team right tackle on Friday and Johnson was at right guard.

“You can tell there’s a lot of energy, a lot of passion and I think there’s a lot of good football players on this offense all over the place,” Norton said. “Really, all we’re going to do is come out here and get better, make some minor adjustments with some schemes and the talent that’s already here and take it to the next level.”