By THOMAS GRANT, JR.
Orangeburg T&D Senior Sports Writer
After handling the workload of both head football coach and
interim athletics director for just over 14 months, South
Carolina State Head Football Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough
was ready to say "uncle" to his dual role.
On Wednesday, in a mutual agreement, new SCSU President Andrew
Hugine lifted the interim AD duties from Pough. He then appointed
longtime staff member Charlene Johnson to a second tour of
duty in the position.
A member of the SCSU Athletics Hall of Fame, Johnson was the
school's interim AD in 1992 and has spent the past seven years
as the school's associate AD and senior women's administrator.
Most recently, Johnson was selected to serve a four-year term
as a member of the NCAA Division 1 Women's Basketball Committee
and was valuable to Pough in helping him plan and coordinate
the direction of the athletics program.
"Johnson will do an outstanding job in her role," Hugine
said in a press release. "We have the utmost confidence
in her ability to perform as athletics director. Coach Pough
has done an excellent job, and we thank him for performing
the dual role of head football coach and AD. In the interest
of allowing him to develop our football program, we felt the
need to provide him relief from his dual responsibilities."
Pough's decision to relinquish the AD duties he had held since
June 22, 2002, after replacing Tim Autry -- the man who hired
him six months earlier -- was apparently discussed with Hugine
well before the Bulldogs' 37-20 season-opening loss to Tennessee
State. Based on his calm, relaxed demeanor following Wednesday's
practice, Pough seemed relieved just being a football coach
again.
"I spent the whole day in the film room watching football," Pough
said. "I didn't have to worry about anybody else. I didn't
have to listen to anybody talk about anything else other than
football. It's the first chance I've had to do that since I've
been here. Whether or not we get any results out of it over
the next month or so, heck I don't know. But I do know this,
I'm happy with Dr. Hugine's decision."
During his appointment, Pough worked with Jeffries to increase
season-ticket sales and donations to support the athletics'
program. He also hired Benjamin Betts to replace Cy Alexander
as men's basketball coach and worked to get the football team's
scholarship level back to the level where the school could
schedule a contest against a Division I-A foe.
Pough also simultaneously led the Bulldogs to a 7-5 record
in his first year at the helm. With the added responsibility
this season of calling the plays as the team's offensive coordinator,
Pough apparently had a "full enough plate" not to
go through a second full year as interim AD.
"We thought it was best," Pough said. "You've
got to find a way to do a lot of stuff during the season, and
it was starting to be harder and harder with all the things
I had going on and especially, now that I'm trying to run an
offense, too. Dr. Hugine and I had talked about it, and we
thought it was best. We're both happy with it, and we think
Charlene will do a good job for us."
While Pough would have liked to have done more, such as leave
a balanced budget, he believes it can still be done in a supportive
role. He also has a greater appreciation of the AD job, especially
at his alma mater.
"I've got great empathy for every AD and every AD that's
ever been (at SCSU)," Pough said.
