How does it feel to be MEAC Coach of the Year?

Buddy Pough’s answer to that question begins with a plural.

“We got coach of the year,” the South Carolina State Bulldog head man said Monday night. “That was a staff deal, and maybe it was even more of a validation of the fact that we put a good staff together as opposed to anything particular from me. I thought (defensive coordinator) Mike Adams did a fantastic job for me in his first year ... a lot of guys contributed to the formula.”

Pough paused for a brief moment and picked back up with his run down of the staff.

“At the beginning of the year, we were awful on special teams, but (Maurice) Drayton worked so hard to get us back, and I thought we broke even with Appy and up to that point I think we won the last three or four games on special teams. We finished second in the nation in kickoff returns and if you remember the beginning of the year against Cookman ... we were awful,” he continued. “Danny Lewis with the running backs ... he did a great job teaching pass protection, and (Kevin) Magouirk did a nice job with the quarterbacks. He got Malcolm (Long) going, and he did a nice job with DeWain (Clark). Howard Feggins did a nice job. He helped with a lot of the passing stuff and timing. Joe Blackwell did a nice job. Demetrius Davis is coming along as an offensive line guy. (David) Blanchard and Gerald Harrison ... the defensive line played well. We had some good fits with the guys we had.”

Pough’s point was that one coach doesn’t make a 10-3 season -- good enough for a MEAC Championship and South Carolina State’s first playoff berth in 26 years. Of course, it helps to have good players as well, and when the MEAC announced its postseason awards Monday, Pough wasn’t the only Bulldog on the list. In fact, 10 Bulldogs earned All-MEAC honors.

That group was led by tailback Will Ford who was named the MEAC Offensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 1,499 yards rushing. He was tied for third in the conference in scoring with 78 points. Senior center Raymond “Duck” Harrison was selected as the league’s Offensive Lineman of the Year -- the third consecutive time a Bulldog has earned that honor.

Joining Ford and Harrison on the All-MEAC first team from SCSU were offensive tackle Johnny Culbreath, tight end Octavius Darby, defensive end Cedric Lloyd and safety Markee Hamlin.

Bulldogs on the second team were linebackers Marshall McFadden and Tony White, defensive lineman Keyon Brooks, offensive lineman Nygel Pearson and wide receiver Oliver Young.

Morgan State linebacker Jarrell Guyton was the Defensive Player of the Year, and former Denmark-Olar star Willie Carter of Howard was the Rookie of the Year.

Carter played in just six games, but finished with 44 receptions for 477 yards and six touchdowns.

“I was a little bit surprised that we didn’t get more defensively ...” Pough said. “I thought Marshall could have been (first team) and Keyon ... James Simmmons and Matt Key ... all the guys. Tony White got second team ... we had all kind of guys that I thought should have got a little better representation.”

2008 Football All-MEAC Teams

Offensive Player of the Year: Will Ford, South Carolina St.

Defensive Player of the Year: Jarrell Guyton, Morgan State

Rookie of the Year: Willie Carter, Howard

Offensive Lineman of the Year: Raymond Harrison, South Carolina St.

Coach of the Year: Buddy Pough, South Carolina St.

First Team

Offense

Pos Name CL School Hometown

QB Curtis Pulley r-Jr. Florida A&M Hopkinsville, Ky.

RB Will Ford Jr. S.C. State Travelers Rest, S.C.

RB Devan James Jr. Morgan State Pompano Beach, Fla.

TE Octavius Darby Sr. S.C. State, Miami, Fla.

WR Justin Brown Sr. Hampton Surfside Beach, S.C.

WR Kevin Elliott r-Fr. Florida A&M Orlando, Fla.

OL Robert Okeafor Jr. Florida A&M Jacksonville, Fla.

OL Dennis Conley r-Sr. Hampton Suffolk, Va.

OL Dwayne Delaney Sr. Morgan St. Amelia, Va.

OL Johnny Culbreath So. S.C. State Monroe, Ga.

C Raymond Harrison Sr. S.C. State Columbia, S.C.

Defense

DL Justin Lawrence Jr. Morgan State Jetersville, Va.

DL Cedric Lloyd Sr. S.C. State Manning, S.C.

DL Chris Baker Jr. Hampton Windsor, Conn.

DL Dennis Marsh r-Sr. Norfolk St. Greensboro, NC

LB Jarrell Guyton Sr. Morgan State Miami, Fla.

LB Travis Roland r-Sr. Bethune-Cookman Daytona Beach, Fla.

LB Endor Cooper Sr. Howard Woodbridge, Va.

DB Terrell Whitehead Jr. Norfolk State Virginia Beach, Va.

DB Markee Hamlin Jr. S.C. State Lamar, S.C.

DB Chris Williams Sr. Morgan State Miami, Fla.

DB Darren McKhan Jr. Morgan State Miami, Fla.

P Jahmal Blanchard Jr. Hampton Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

P/K Justin Castellat Jr. Norfolk St. Virginia Beach, Va.

Ret LeRoy Vann Jr. Florida A&M Tampa, Fla.

Second Team

Offense

Pos Name CL School Hometown

QB Herbert Bynes r-So. Hampton Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

RB DeAngelo Branche r-So. Norfolk State Norfolk, Va.

*RB Brian Sulmer Jr. Bethune-Cookman Jacksonville, Fla.

*RB Philip Sylvester So. Florida A&M Marianna, Fla.

TE Taj Jenkines Jr. Florida A&M Jacksonville, Fla.

WR Oliver “Tre” Young Jr. S.C. State Charleston, S.C.

*WR Jeremy Gilchrist r-Sr. Hampton Virginia Beach, Va.

*WR Willie Carter Fr. Howard Denmark, S.C.

OL Ruebin Mordecai III r-Sr. Bethune-Cookman Daytona Beach, Fla.

OL Nygel Pearson Sr. S.C. State Darlington, S.C.

*OL Adrian Brown Sr. Delaware St. Baltimore, Md.

*OL Anthony Collins r-Jr. Florida A&M Miami, Fla.

*OL Robert Norris Jr. Morgan State Cheltenham, Md.

C Ryan Cave Jr. Hampton Beaufort, S.C.

Defense

DL Cameron Houston Jr. Florida A&M Rockledge, Fla.

DL Keyon Brooks Sr. S.C. State Miami, Fla.

DL Kendrick Ellis So. Hampton West Palm Beach, Fla.

DL Dexter Jackson Jr. Bethune-Cookman Jacksonville, Fla.

LB Wakeem Goode Sr. Hampton Cleveland, Ohio

LB Tony White Sr. S.C. State Seneca, S.C.

LB Marshall McFadden Sr. S.C. State Lamar, S.C.

DB Curtis Holcomb So. Florida A&M Miami, Fla.

*DB Antonio Cox Jr. Bethune-Cookman Miami, Fla.

*DB Antwane Cox Jr. Bethune-Cookman Miami, Fla.

*DB Don Carey Sr. Norfolk State Norfolk, Va.

*DB Jonathan Wade So. Hampton Richmond, Va.

P Justin Keable r-So. Bethune-Cookman Deland, Fla.

P/K Carlo Turvani So. Hampton Ontario, Canada

Ret Kevin Teel Sr. Hampton Bowie, Md.

*-Indicates a tie

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