But in preseason camp the Bears -- defending CIAA champions and this year's West Division favorites -- have been beating up themselves. As many as 12 players were sidelined with ailments ranging from knee sprains to back spasms.

"It's been a crazy camp; I've never had one like this, '' said third-year coach, Darrell Asberry, who conducted a kind of football boot camp with more contact and conditioning than usual.

In-town rival St. Augustine's is familiar with adversity -- the Falcons were expected to contend for the title a year ago, but it was injuries, in part, that dashed those plans. St. Aug's will field another strong defensive team while trying to take its fluttering offense to a higher altitude.

Over at Shaw, the injuries in preseason practices prompted Asberry to reduce the hitting, and he no longer allows his No. 1 offensive and defensive units to square off because "they try to tear each other's heads off."

Bad news for opponents is that most of the Bears expect to be healed enough to play. And a healthy Shaw team has a shot at winning the school's first back-to-back league titles.

Challenging in the West will be No. 2 preseason pick Fayetteville State and St. Aug's, voted by coaches to finish third.

In the East, Virginia Union is the favorite, with Elizabeth City State and Bowie State also expected to contend.

Shaw finished 3-7 in 2006, then made a meteoric rise last season after Asberry brought in a large, talented recruiting class.

Last year, the Bears went 8-4 and won the CIAA championship game -- Hollywood style, rallying to edge Virginia Union 31-24 in double overtime.

That fulfilled chancellor Clarence Newsome's prophecy of 2006, when he introduced Asberry as coach, handed him a football and said he was "putting it in the hand of a winner."

The Bears have back the majority of their starters, led by All-America and CIAA Defensive Player of the Year Louis Ellis. The 6-foot-4, 294-pound lineman had a habit of blowing up plays, leading the league in tackles-for-loss with 26.

The front seven also will include linebackers TiQuan Collins (second-team all-conference), Tommy Campbell and James Duplessis, a mobile, menacing trio. Last season, Shaw allowed a league-low 12.2 points per game, and Asberry expects his "D" to be defiant again.

Offensively, the Bears lost receiver Mike Brown for academic reasons but still have good-hands men in Lenell King (second-team all-league), Deandre Okonji (29 catches, 480 yards) and Robert Brown, the Division II national leader in punt-return average (20.8 yards).

Quarterback Travis Robinson, a 43.8 percent passer, is back to direct an attack that averaged 301.5 yards of total offense last season.

Alan Atwater (718 yards rushing) was the top rusher and, if available, will be operating behind a veteran offensive line led by first-team All-CIAA performer, Oliver Pazdry.

As for the mental approach, Asberry adopted the Boston Celtics' motto: "Make history or be history."

"We want to be part of history,'' he said. "Why not do things people have never done before?"

Falcons stingy

St. Augustine's turned heads and loosened some chin straps with its jarring defensive play last season, when it ranked sixth nationally in Division II in total yards allowed.

Despite losing stalwart Alex Hall, who is in Cleveland Browns camp, the Falcons have back nine of the "D" starters and expect to yield yards grudgingly again.

But can St. Aug's score enough points? That was a problem in last year's 2-8 season, when it averaged just 13.1 points a game, ninth lowest among CIAA teams.

"We still have to fill voids with young guys in the offensive line,'' coach Michael Costa said. "[But] we've made great strides. Guys understand the offense now."

The Falcons employ a multiple scheme, including the spread, and feature a fine receiving corps -- Lendell Bembo, Tim Lovett, Richard Boone and Richard Abney.

Lovett, a former Garner High standout, led pass-catchers with 21 receptions for 439 yards, made the CIAA All-Rookie team and was second-team all-league as a punt returner.

Competition is keen at quarterback between Anthony Brown, a part-time starter getting "pushed" by Christopher Brownlee.

Defensively, tackle Marcus Kennedy -- who has sparked interest from NFL scouts -- end Marcus Crump and backs Myron Miller and Mark Hall can wreck offenses.

To challenge Shaw and Fayetteville State, Costa says "we've got to play strong defense, and we need a little more productivity on offense.

"I see good things developing."

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