Pough has S.C. State surpassing expectations
BY ROSCOE NANCE
South Carolina State, 5-1 under first-year coach Buddy Pough, is the surprise team in Black College football.
The Bulldogs can
equal their victory total for last season by beating Bethune-Cookman
Saturday in their Homecoming. They can also establish themselves as a
legitimate contender for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship,
not just a pretender, by knocking off the high-powered and unbeaten Wildcats
(7-0, 2-0 MEAC) who sit atop the BCSP Top Ten, just ahead of them.
"This is a championship game to a degree," says Pough, who figures no team can afford to lose more than one conference game and expect to win the MEAC title. "If we win, it will make it tough for anybody to move past us."
The Bulldogs (5-1, 2-0 MEAC) have a favorable schedule with home games against Hampton (Oct. 26), Howard (Nov. 9) and Morgan State remaining. They also have games at Delaware State (Nov. 2) and against North Carolina A&T (Nov. 23) in Atlanta.
But Pough, a 1976 South Carolina State graduate and former assistant on Lou Holtz's staff at the University of South Carolina, isn't allowing himself to get caught up in title talk just yet.
"We want to win seven games," he says. "Since we're playing 12 games, that's how many wins its takes for us to having a winning season."
The Bulldogs dealt themselves into the title chase by stunning two-time defending MEAC champion Florida A&M, 31-13 on Oct. 5 in Tallahassee. The win ended a seven-game losing streak against the Rattlers and was the Bulldogs' first victory ever at Bragg Stadium.
"We were standing on the sidelines at the half in shock," says Pough, recalling the 31-0 lead the Bulldogs took to the locker room. "My next thought was 'how do we not screw it up?'"
Pough and the Bulldogs got over their shock and didn't screw up, nor did they become overconfident in the wake of their historic victory. They thrashed Norfolk State, a team they traditionally struggle against, 35-9, setting up their showdown with Bethune-Cookman.
"This should be a helluva game unless they blow us out," Pough says. "Bethune-Cookman is the best team in the league, and (quarterback Allen) Suber is the best player."
Pough says beating Florida A&M was the confidence booster his team needed. He says the Bulldogs now believe they are a good team.
"You don't know how to react to your success because it came so quickly and so surprisingly," he says. "You almost feel you haven't earned it. You can win games at home and feel you won because you were at home. Winning on the road is special.
"Our practice the Tuesday after the Florida A&M game was the first time I thought they understood what we could accomplish. The offensive line is playing good. That gives everybody confidence. They're beginning to enjoy and see what can happen."
Pough, downplaying his contribu-tion, says the foundation for the Bulldogs' success was actually laid last season. South Carolina State began the season 1-5, but turned things around and finished the year with a five-game winning streak that enabled coach Willie Jeffries to retire on a winning note.
"People lose sight of the fact that they finished strong," says Pough. "They were somewhat ugly wins. They were character wins. That was the toughest of all finishes. They were so deep in the doldrums they won almost with defense alone. We put in an offensive structure that seems to be a fit for the talent we have."
Pough installed a spread offense with quarterback Reese McCampbell at the helm. The Bulldogs give the appearance of being a wide-open offensive team with four and five receiver sets, they remain run-oriented just as they were under Jeffries.
"If you can run from the spread look, you can give people trouble," Pough says.
The Bulldogs are No.2 in the MEAC in rushing offense (266 yards a game), and McCampbell is the second-leading ball carrier in the conference at 108.4 yards a game. But the Bulldogs are not a one-trick pony. They are No.1 in passing efficiency, and No. 3 in scoring (33 points a game).
Defense remains a staple, just as it was when they dominated the conference winning eight titles (1974-78, 1980-83). They won their last title in 1994. The Bulldogs are allowing just 11.8 points a game, second best in the conference, and are No.1 in turnover margin (+2.4 a game).
After Pough was named the new head coach he got a huge assist from Jeffries. The two of them traveled together throughout South Carolina and Georgia talking to alumni groups. Jeffries is arguably the most popular figure in South Carolina. With him clearly in Pough's corner, it was little question that Bulldog supporters would embrace him.
"It was important for Coach Jeff to embrace me," Pough says. "He had garnered more respect than anyone in the athletic department. Him being a part of what we're doing is as important as anyone in the program. The one thing you know is he's the total package. He's a good coach. But he's a better man. He makes people feel comfortable. He's a tough act to follow. I told him I'd better be a helluva football coach because the other stuff, I can't match him."
© 2002 Azeez Communications, Inc.