Winston-Salem, last year’s Super Region I champions and national semifinalists, are the runaway pick to capture the conference title. They’ve got seven of the 25 spots on the pre-season all-conference team, and they’re going to be tough to beat. That said, the field does appear to be poised to reel them in somewhat. Quick team capsules after the jump.
Winston-Salem State Rams: The Rams rolled almost everyone in sight last year before falling 21-14 to Wayne State (MI) in the national semifinals. With 15 starters returning, including QB Kameron Smith and all his receivers. The defense has taken some hits, but the Rams, ranked 9th in D-II to open the season, should be able to control the South without much difficulty… though it won’t be the cakewalk it was last season.
Elizabeth City State Vikings: They won the North last year, but closed with two ugly losses: first to Winston-Salem in the CIAA Championship Game, then a 44-0 rout at the hands of California (PA) in the first round of the playoffs. The offense only has three returning starters, but the important one is RB DaRonte McNeill, who had over 1600 yards on the ground last year. Defensively, the Vikings return all but two starters, including all-conference first-teamers CB Nigel Rios DL Brad Davis, which will be a big boost as the offense tries to rebuild around McNeill.
Saint Augustine’s Falcons: They were only 4-6 last year, but they could have been 8-2, losing four games by a touchdown or less — including giving Winston-Salem their biggest regular-season scare. They return 18 starters, nine on each side of the ball. There’s no reason to expect anything less than a second-place finish in the South, and they may challenge WSSU for the title.
Bowie State Bulldogs: Fifteen starters return from last year’s disappointing 4-6 squad, and it will be enough to at least challenge Elizabeth City State for the Northern Division crown. Senior Tyrae Reid takes over at QB after getting a couple of starts last year.
Fayetteville State Broncos: Seventeen starters return to a team which surged late, finishing second in the South after suffering an 0-3 non-conference slate. That surge was led by QB Chauncey Concepcion, now a sophomore, who stepped in to take over the reins mid-season. FSU’s offensive losses were at running back, so that’s a hole that needs filling. DB Joshua Scales also helped right the ship, returning from injury to lead the defense in the second half of the season. The Broncos have a tough challenge to get past WSSU and Saint Augustine’s. The former is a long shot, but finishing second in the South is not out of the question.
Virginia State Trojans: VSU finished second in the North last year, but with only 12 starters returning are probably going to be surpassed by Bowie State. The bright spot: Jarred Battle returns for his third year under center to lead the offense.
Virginia Union Panthers: The entire offensive line is back, the entire defense is back, their leading rusher is back, and they’re expected to fall a spot in the standings. That’s because none of those guys is a true standout, but it’s entirely possible things can gel enough to push the Panthers toward the North title. Just not likely.
Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls: JCSU returns twenty starters to a squad which won last year’s Pioneer Bowl. QB Keahn Wallace, last year’s CIAA Offensive Rookie of the Year, will look to improve on an impressive freshman campaign. Still, all these returning starters don’t look to be enough to challenge for the South title; they’ll improve, of course, but this is a team with only one returning first-team all-conference selection.
Shaw Bears: Only eleven starters return from a squad that went 3-7 last year, and that’s not a recipe for improvement. First-year coach Robert Massey is facing uncertainty at QB and a defense only returning three starters. This won’t end well.
Chowan Hawks: Robert Holland, the CIAA’s leading receiver last year, returns along with 13 other starters. For the first time in awhile, Chowan actually has five home games on the schedule, which should give them a slight boost. Whether it’s enough to get out of fifth place in the North is another question.
Lincoln (PA) Tigers: The tandem of sophomore QB Doug Cook and WR Matthew Coston will make Lincoln interesting on offense, but having to break in an entirely new linebacking corps may well mean they’re playing catch-up all season. The defense is anchored, however, by All-American DE Tim Green, so it’s not an entirely lost cause. It’s still hard to see Lincoln escaping the basement, though.
Livingstone Blue Bears: I don’t ever like to speak ill of teams at this level, but this is a bad situation. Only seven starters return (though one is All-American CB Justin Avery). The RB corps is intact, but the Blue Bears will have a new hand under center, and it’s not certain who’s winning that job. Livingstone went 1-9 last year; going winless is hard, but they might pull it off this year. Then again, all those new faces might be an improvement.