Top pick SCSU ready to play, not talk
“Shut Up and Play!”
It’s more than just a rallying cry for the South Carolina State football team. For every coach and player, the slogan is how the Bulldogs plan to approach another season filled with high expectations from fans and media.
After two straight seasons of posting a 7-4 overall record and 6-2 in the MEAC, good for second place each time, S.C. State plans to do all of its talking on the field.
“We’ve come so close the past two years, so really this should be our third year contending for the MEAC championship and trying to get a ring on our finger. We feel like the last two years, for us to be so talented on both sides of the ball and then at the end of the season come up short by 2-3 points, that’s where coach (Oliver “Buddy” Pough) gets the motto ‘Shut Up and Play!’,” senior defensive captain Terrance Allen said.
“The last two years, we’ve been doing all this talking. Yeah, we had people choosing us No. 1 last season. But we fell short. So now, we’ve got nothing more to say to people. All you’ve got to do is just put on your pants like they put on their pants and you go out there and prove to them that you deserve to be preseason No. 1 and we can win the MEAC.”
If last season was a celebration of 100 years of football history, 2008 is all about making history for a new century of Bulldog football. For the second straight year, S.C. State was the preseason pick to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and advance to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the first time since 1982.
For the first time in three years, however, the Bulldogs will enter the season without record-setting quarterback Cleveland McCoy and last year’s MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year James Lee (currently with the Cleveland Browns). The duo, along with preseason MEAC Offensive Player of the Year running back Will Ford, were the main catalysts for an offense that led the conference in rushing (264 yards per game) and total offense (401.6).
Looking to pick up the mantle from McCoy is sophomore quarterback Malcolm Long (6-3, 235). The Gaffney native and former ‘Mr. South Carolina Football’ displayed glimpses of potential in spot duty, including a two-touchdown performance against Howard University, and his strong arm will enable the Bulldogs to run a more spread-type offense.
“I’m nervous but excited and happy all at the same time,” Long said. “When it all comes out, I’m just going out and trying to have fun. I’m not going to try to impress anybody. I’m going to try to help my team win a MEAC championship.”
Should Long struggle, quarterback DeWain Clark is waiting in the wings as a capable backup. The 6-4, 215-pound redshirt freshman had a strong showing in the spring game and his mobility gives S.C. State additional options on offense.
When it comes to running the football, Ford is almost peerless in the MEAC. In two seasons, the 5-11, 221-pound Travelers Rest native has rushed for 2,141 yards and 14 touchdowns and set a single-game school record with 332 yards against North Carolina A&T last season.
Backing up Ford is University of Auburn transfer Anthony Campbell (5-9, 195) and junior Travil Jamison (6-0, 210) and fullbacks Kenneth Smalls (5-10, 240) and Naval Academy transfer Zachary Middleton of Orangeburg-Wilkinson.
Although the Bulldogs lost three starters on the offensive line, the returning players all saw significant playing time last season. All-MEAC center Raymond “Duck” Harrison (6-2, 275) will start his fourth consecutive season and will be joined by tackles sophomore Johnny Culbreath (6-6, 310), redshirt senior Nygel Pearson (6-6, 305), who has overcome two straight years of foot and hand injuries, and guards Devon Dawson (6-3, 250) and Josh Harrison (6-4, 310).
The position is rich in reserves with center Casey Fortune (6-2, 300), guards Jake Johnson (6-4, 330), Travis Ashford (6-2, 295) and tackle Chris Nelson (6-2, 267). At tight end, senior Octavius Darby (6-2, 240) and Denmark-Olar’s Rolandes Breland (6-3, 240) provide blocking and pass-catching off the line of scrimmage.
Even with Terrance Smith, whose one-handed “Centennial Catch” in an overtime victory over Morgan State was the highlight of last season, moving over to the secondary, the Bulldogs will have no shortage of deep targets for Long and Clark. Senior Duston Dubose (5-8, 165) and Tre’ Young (6-0, 180) had 25 and 16 catches, respectively, and two touchdowns each -- numbers that should increase with new passing coordinator Howard Feggins in the fold.
Senior Phillip Morris (6-4, 185) is looking to rebound from a quiet 2007 campaign and has shown increased upper body strength in team practice. Junior Matt Washington (6-2, 175), D-O’s Semaj Moody (5-10, 175) and freshmen Lennel Elmore (6-0, 185) of Allendale-Fairfax and Randall Hawkins (6-0, 175) round out the wide receiving corps.
Coaching changes
Another spring, another round of staff changes.
In March, Pough hired five new coaches and promoted defensive backs coach Mike Adams to defensive coordinator:
• 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, 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.
• Strength and conditioning coach John L. Williams -- A former player and assistant coach at North Carolina A&T during the 1990s, he spent six years at Baylor starting in 2002. He also spent three seasons from 1997-99 as a graduate assistant at the University of North Carolina and one year as a strength and conditioning coach at Oklahoma State.
The schedule
For the second consecutive year, S.C. State will meet two FBS opponents -- Central Florida (Aug. 30) and Clemson (Sept. 20). The Bulldogs hope to fair better than they did in losing to Air Force Academy (34-3) and the University of South Carolina (31-3).
“Right after that, we almost took the Patriots and the Green Bay Backers too,” Pough said. “You know ... really toughen up our schedule. But we thought we would just play those guys.”
|
