Believe in the Shaw Bears

A few weeks back, I asked why people were hesitant to pick the Shaw Bears for a third-consecutive CIAA football championship. Saturday against the Elizabeth City State Vikings, the Bears made me look real good with a 54-30 mauling in the champs’ season opener.

Obviously, the story of the game is the three interceptions returned for touchdowns by Bears senior defensive back Quintez Smith, but the stories buried under Smith’s highlights are what will truly position Shaw for a third run at the CIAA title.

First, Bears newcomer Brandon Landers picked up where he left off at Grambling State, throwing for 161 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions in shared duty with Travis Robinson, who finished an abysmal 1-of-9 for nine yards and two interceptions. Coach Darrell Asberry says it will be a regular rotation between the two QB’s for the duration of the season, but its clear his best chances of winning are with Landers.

Defensively, the Bears have a lot to look forward to from the defensive line. The Bears forced only two sacks on the game, but there was enough pressure to force four interceptions from the ECSU offense, and enough presence from the defense to convert those turnovers into scoring opportunities.

And finally, while the SU special teams defense is suspect (two kick returns for TDs allowed), the kicking game appears to be proficient. Shaw went 4-of-4 in field goal attempts, and its a good sign when your offense can play for field position instead of touchdowns on every possession.

They have much to work on, no doubt. They were outgained by ECSU, and their special teams defense is atrocious. But as the season plods on against competition far below the standard set by the Vikings in the Bears’ season opener, they can look forward to their next – and final – big game against Fayetteville State on October 10 in Fayetteville.

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