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Another spring, another round of staff changes for the South Carolina State football team.
During head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough's seven-year tenure in Orangeburg, replenishing his staff has become as commonplace as posting winning seasons.
In many instances, Pough has assistant coaches make an immediate impact, only to depart just as swiftly after receiving lucrative offers from Football Bowl Subdivision schools. Chris Rumph (Clemson), Billy Napier (Clemson) and Troy Douglass (Indiana) are among several former Bulldog assistants who were snatched up by larger programs after just one season.
Such an opportunity presented itself for S.C. State defensive coordinator John Hendrick. Presented with, in Pough's words, "an offer he could not refuse," Hendrick resigned after one season to become the new defensive line coach at FBS rising power South Florida.
Hendrick's departure came on the heels of second-year coaches Tony Elliott (wide receivers) and J.C. Harmon (tight ends) leaving the program to accept jobs at Football Championship Subdivision schools Furman and the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and Pough's decision not to return quarterbacks' coach Jonathan Pry.
Such job turnover is an aspect of coaching on the FCS level which Pough has come to accept, though he sees how this may frustrate some fans.
"I get a lot of feedback from people, from our fans saying that we're tired of us training coaches for other schools," Pough said. "I take it as a compliment that we hire people here who are taken by other coaches. I think that means more than anything that we hired the right people. At the same time, I need to get more out of them when I get them here."
Having added four new coaches to the fold, Pough is hoping to get those results and more in his quest to reach the postseason for the first time in his tenure:
- Quarterbacks coach Kevin Magouirk (Pronounced Ma-gurk) - A former running back and wide receiver at the University of South Carolina, he spent last season at The Citadel as the assistant receivers coach. Previously, he spent two seasons as an offensive coordinator at Husson College and was a wide receivers coach at Lehigh University and St. Anselm College.
- Running backs coach Danny Lewis - Spent five years at The Citadel as the running backs coach, recruiting coordinator and assistant head coach. Coached three consecutive Southern Conference rushing champions in Maurice Murphy in 2001 and Nehemiah Broughton in 2003 and 2004. The 35-year old Lexington native also worked previously at Benedict College, Newberry and Middle Tennessee State.
- Defensive backs/special teams coach Maurice Drayton - A native of Moncks Corner, he spent a total of 12 seasons at The Citadel as a player, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. In 2006, he was the defensive coordinator for the Seinajoki Crocodiles of the European Football League in Seinajoki, Finland. Last season, he was the defensive coordinator at Goose Creek High School.
- Wide receivers coach Howard Feggins - The 42-year-old University of North Carolina graduate, who played briefly with the New England Patriots, he spent four seasons at Eastern Michigan. He oversaw the Eagles' offense in 2004 which finished 21st in the season and had wide receiver Eric Deslauriers named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List. He also coached all-Big Ten receivers Teddy Johnson, Sam Simmons and Kunle Patrick, who tied the NCAA record with 47 straight games with a reception. Previously, Feggins spent two seasons at Wingate University in charge of the defensive backs and kick returners.
In hiring Magouirk, Lewis and Drayton as the defensive backs coach, Pough reached back to his connections with The Citadel (where he son Oliver III played wide receiver).
"Maurice I tried to hire before," Pough said. "I thought I had him hired. It didn't quite work out. Known him for years and recruited against him, all of those different kinds of things you do when you work in a state right next to a guy. I observed him and I use to go down and visit when I was at Carolina. He would be there, we talked and talked about my son when he was there."
Pough's relationships with Magouirk and Lewis go back even further to his USC days. He coached Magouirk as the Gamecocks' running backs coach during the 2001 season and worked with Lewis on the 2000 coaching staff of Lou Holtz. In both years, USC emerged victorious in the Outback Bowl.
"(Lewis) and I have been talking about coming to work for me for some time now," Pough said. "It just has never worked out. I tried to make that happen a time or two before, but I couldn't quite get it worked out. It just didn't quite fit. Magouirk played for me at Carolina. He and I have been talking for a long time. Almost every one of these guys that I just hired, I've had relationship with for some time and have talked to them about working here for some time."
The exception was Feggins, whom Pough almost hedged about hiring because of his head coach-like credentials. In the end, Feggins' down to earth personality and Southern background made him a perfect fit for the staff.
Feggins could end up playing an even bigger role in the offense. Currently, offensive line coach Joseph Blackwell handles the play-calling duties, but Pough said he'll use spring practice to evaluate whether to give Feggins those responsibilities.
Pough knows the high likelihood of the bigger colleges raiding his staff again should the Bulldogs have a successful season. At the same time, he's not about to change his approach towards bringing in people who love the game and working with young people.
"You can hire ordinary fellows...who stay where they are, but are not very innovative in their approach at this point or you can continue to hire up and coming guys who are extra innovative, who've got all kinds of ideas and connections and experiences and that kind of stuff, but continue to move around," Pough said.
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF CHANGES
2007 2008
Offensive coordinator Joseph Blackwell/Oliver 'Buddy Pough *Joseph Blackwell/Oliver "Buddy" Pough
Quarterbacks Johnathan Pry Kevin Magouirk
Running backs Johnathan Pry Danny Lewis
Wide receivers Tony Elliott Howard Feggins
0fensive line Joseph Blackwell/Demetrius Davis Joseph Blackwell/Demetrius Davis
Tight ends J.C. Harmon Joseph Blackwell/Demetrius Davis
Defensive coordinator John Hendrick Mike Adams
Defensive backs Mike Adams Maurice Drayton
Defensive line Gerald Harrison/David Blanchard Gerald Harrison/David Blanchard
Linebackers John Hendrick Mike Adams
Special teams Mike Adams Oliver "Buddy" Pough/Maurice Drayton
Strength & Conditioning Thomas Stallworth Thomas Stallworth
*subject to possible change
T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Check out his blog, Following the Bulldogs, at www.thetandd.com.