2010 preseason black college football

Fayetteville State picked to repeat in CIAA

Lut Williams
BCSP Editor

Though there's a lot of change in CIAA football, conference coaches expect defending champion Fayetteville State to again come away with the 2010 title in what many believe will be one of the most hotly contested battles in conference history.

2010 CIAA FOOTBALL Predicted Order of Finish OVERALL 1. Fayetteville State (8-4) 2. Shaw (8-2) 3. Bowie State (6-5) 4. Elizabeth City State (7-4) 5. Virginia Union (6-4) 6. Winston-Salem State (0-10) 7. St. Augustine's (4-6) 8. Virginia State (6-4) 9. Chowan (2-8) 10. Johnson C. Smith (3-7) 11. St. Paul's (4-5) 12. Livingstone (0-10) 13. Lincoln (3-7) BY DIVISION SOUTH NORTH 1. Fayetteville State 1. Bowie State 2. Shaw 2. Elizabeth City State 3. Winston-Salem State 3. Virginia Union 4. St. Augustine's 4. Virginia State 5. Johnson C. Smith 5. Chowan 6. Livingstone 6. St. Paul's 7. Lincoln **As selected by the CIAA Football Coaches Association

That was the verdict unveiled last Thursday in Petersburg, Va. as the conference held its annual preseason football press conference and luncheon featuring the league's head coaches and their predictions for the upcoming season.

The CIAA will be entering its 99th year of athletic competition and the biggest news is that the 2010 football line-up will feature two teams officially returning to the conference fold _ original member Lincoln (Pa.), who recently gained full membership into NCAA Div. II, and Winston-Salem State, returning after a five-year flirtation with Div. I and the MEAC.

With those additions the conference will be fielding 13 teams, the most since 1980, and is employing a new North/South format adding Lincoln to the North and WSSU to the South.

Three new coaches will also be patrolling the sidelines.

Former Winston-Salem State and North Carolina A&T standout quarterback Connell Maynor, who developed his coaching chops as offensive coordinator at Fayetteville State and the Arena League, will usher the WSSU Rams back into the CIAA.

St. Paul's will enter the 2010 season without all-time winningest CIAA head coach Willard Bailey who was replaced recently by interim head coach Kevin Grisby. And after a winless 2009 season, Livingstone has turned to former Elizabeth City State assistant Elvin James to lead the Bears.

They all will be playing for a division title and a subsequent spot in the Nov. 13 CIAA Championship Game set for the newly refurbished Durham County Stadium in Durham, N.C.

Fayetteville State and Shaw, the last two conference champions, are the favorites in the newly-constructed CIAA South with conference returnee Winston-Salem State and St. Augustine's expected to be their chief challengers.

2010 Preseason All-CIAA TEAM OFFENSE TE - Karvin Gwaltney, Sr., Eliz. City State OL - Reginald Berry, Jr., Bowie State OL - Larry McDonald, Jr., Fayetteville State OL - Dillon Kestner, Sr., Fayetteville State OL - Markus McElveen, Sr., Shaw OL - David Mims, Sr., Shaw WR - Dexter Manley, Sr., Eliz. City State WR - Jeremy Franklin, Sr., J. C. Smith QB - Creven Powell, Jr., Eliz. City State RB - Rodney Webb, Sr., Bowie State RB - Raymond Williams, Sr., Shaw KR - James Proctor, Jr., Bowie State PK - Austin Turner, Jr., Fayetteville State DEFENSE DL - Alex Payton, Sr., Bowie State DL - Malcolm Jenkins, Sr., Eliz. City State DL - DeMarcus Roberson, Jr., Shaw DL - Zach Hope, Sr., Va. Union LB - Steven Stanback, Sr., St. Aug's LB - Jarvis Stokes, Sr., St. Paul's LB - Fred Sparkman, Sr., Shaw DB - Terence Peete, Sr., Bowie State DB - Alkeem Deloatch, Sr., Livingstone DB - Dominic Tolson, Jr., St. Paul's DB - Andre LeBlanc, Sr., Va. Union P - Austin Turner, Jr., Fayetteville St. PR - Dominique Budd, Jr., Bowie State

Bowie State, who faced Fayetteville State in last year's title game, is again the top pick in the newly-constructed North Division. Elizabeth City State, Virginia Union and Virginia State are expected to contend.

Despite their selection as a repeat winner, Fayetteville State landed only three players on the preseason all-conference team, two offensive linemen (Larry McDonald and Dillon Kestner) and placekicker/punter Austin Turner. Bowie State led the all-conference teams with six selections, three on offense _ lineman Reginald Berry, running back Rodney Webb, the returning CIAA rushing champ with 917 yards and 10 TDs in 2009, and kick returner James Proctor. The three defenders are lineman Alex Payton, defensive back Terence Peete and punt returner Dominique Budd.

Elizabeth City State checked in with four selections, three at offensive skill positions led by quarterback Creven Powell, the leading returning passer (181.3 ypg.). Wide receiver Dexter Manley and tight end Kevin Gwaltney were the others. Defensive lineman Malcolm Jenkins rounded out the ECSU foursome.

Shaw also had four selections including running back Raymond Williams (811 yards, 12 TDs) who finished second to Webb in 2009 rushing stats.

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