Life as both secondary and special teams’ coach for 24th-ranked South Carolina State is busy enough for Maurice Drayton.

With 22nd-ranked Hampton coming to Orangeburg with a potent passing game and equally explosive kick return game, Drayton’s dual work will become even more vital to the Bulldogs’ Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title hopes.

“He’s got his work cut out for him this week,” said S.C. State head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough during his weekly press conference.

While Drayton insists the Bulldogs are doing their usual preparation for Saturday’s showdown at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, he acknowledged an augmented priority being pleased on attention to detail for the defensive backs and special teams players.

“The emphasis on certain things have been on a heightened level and we’re really getting after the kids from that standpoint,” he said Thursday. “They’re taking a real good ownership in it and we’re very excited about the opportunity at hand.”

The Bulldogs are ranked third in the MEAC in passing defense (155.9 yards per game) and their 12 interceptions is second only to Morgan State. Hampton is ranked second in passing offense (246.8 yards per game) and possesses a bevy of speedy wideouts in Justin Brown, Kevin Teel, Damon McDaniel and Jeremy Gilchrist.

Even tailback LaMarcus Coker has proven himself lethal catching the football out of the backfield as exhibited by the screen pass he turned into an 70-yard touchdown reception last week against Norfolk State.

“Anytime you play in the secondary, you can have 90 good snaps and on that 91st snap, it results in a touchdown,” Drayton said. “So we’re just being real sound with being perfect, with doing everything right from a technique standpoint. We’re just going to ... keep the receivers in front of us and we’ll break back on anything.”

Look for S.C. State defensive coordinator Mike Adams to mix up their defensive coverages and Drayton expects the Pirates to try to test the Bulldogs’ secondary early and often. During film study, Drayton noticed with exception to the Norfolk State game, Hampton has started every game with a deep ball or trick play.

When it comes to kickoff coverage, S.C. State is taking no chances against the MEAC’s leader in kickoff and punt returns. The Bulldogs have seen firsthand what Gilchrist is capable of doing (he had a 72-yard punt return against the Bulldogs last season) and although they plan to “load up” the coverage team with starters, Pough has declared both Gilchrist (20.4 yards kickoff return, three TDs) and Teel (42.1 yards per punt return, two TDs) “off limits” to punter Aaron Haire.

“I don’t know if we’ll kick it to them,” said Pough at Thursday’s Orangeburg Touchdown Club. “If you see us kick the ball out of bounds on the kickoff and (Hampton) gets it at the 40-yard line, don’t be surprised. Don’t say ‘Why they kick it out of bounds?’ I’d rather kick it out of bounds and give it to them on the 40 than give it to them on the goal line.”

Kickoff for Saturday’s game is 2 p.m. at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

Pirates ‘excited’

about matchup

As much as the S.C. State players are looking forward to Saturday’s game with Hampton, the feeling is apparently mutual in the Tidewater area.

“It’s championship week,” Hampton junior linebacker Michael Swett told The Daily Press. “That’s how a lot of the guys are treating it. I’ve watched more film that I ever have (in) just two days of the week. The coaches gave us a little study guide (on S.C. State), and I finished it the day they gave it to me.”

Swett further added he had “butterflies” in his stomach looking forward to seeing how Hampton’s defense measures up to the Bulldogs’ offensive line and running back Will Ford, who needs 76 yards to move into ninth place on the MEAC all-time rushing yards list.

The Pirates own an 11-3 advantage in the series against the Bulldogs, but have dropped the last two meetings.

Former Bulldog making

waves in Division III

Christopher Newport University, a college located in Newport News, Va., is off to a 4-1 overall start and 3-0 in USA South play.

A major reason is junior running back Tunde Ogun, who saw limited action during the 2005 season for S.C. State. Entering his second season with the Captains after transferring from the University of Cincinnati, Ogun is averaging 138 yards a carry and has rushed for 1,360 yards and 19 career touchdowns.

Last week against Maryville, the Richmond native rushed for a career-best 225 yards and three touchdowns to earn USA South Offensive Player of the Week honors for a second time this season. For the season, Ogun has rushed for 688 yards and eight touchdowns.

“He’s got good speed,” Captains coach Matt Kelchner said. “He’s got good strength and power. He’s a good back. He can catch the ball. He can run the ball. He’s got to work on his blitz pickup a little bit. He’s good at that, but he’s missed a couple assignments. That’s a part of knowing the offense a little bit. But he can be a complete back.”

Winners of four straight, Christopher Newport plays host to Methodist University this Saturday.

Saturday’s game

is Youth/ROTC Day

The S.C. State Ticket Office are offering ticket discounts for this Saturday’s MEAC showdown at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

As a part of Youth/ROTC Day, all youth 17 and under or college students with an ID card can purchase a ticket for $10. All general admission tickets will only cost $20.

For more information, contact the S.C. State ticket office at 803-536-8579 or 1-800-298-9157 or click on the S.C. State advertisement at www.thetandd.com.

n 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.

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