SC State’s Buddy Pough named MEAC Coach of the Year
Norfolk, Va. – South Carolina State posted eight (8) players on the MEAC All-Conference team, including, the Bulldogs Corey Fields was tabbed as the league’s Rookie of the Year, while South Carolina State’s Oliver “Buddy” Pough was selected as Coach of the Year. The team was voted on by the MEAC’s head football coaches and sports information directors.
In a partnership with the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame, the league’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year will be announced as part of the festivities surrounding the 62th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the Hilton Midtown in New York City. The event will be streamed live at 9:30 a.m. on the NFF’s website.
Fields, a Hollywood, S.C. native, was a two-time MEAC Rookie of the Week and finished third in the MEAC in passing efficiency with 15 passing touchdowns. He threw for 1,652 yards with a passing efficiency of 138.7. He shattered South Carolina State’s school record on Nov. 9 when the Bulldogs defeated Howard 62-21. Fields finished the game 18-for-29 for 333 yards passing and seven touchdown passes, and he earned FCS STATS Freshman of the Week for his performance. He guided his team to a share of the 2019 MEAC championship and finished the season with 1,683 yards of total offense.
Pough had the biggest turnaround of the season after the Bulldogs finished last season with a 5-6 overall record and a 4-3 mark in conference play. The 2019 season saw the Bulldogs finish 8-3 overall and 6-2 in MEAC play. Pough led South Carolina State to its 17th MEAC championship overall and the seventh in his tenure. The Bulldogs got a key program win over then-No. 8th ranked Wofford (champion of the Southern Conference) to start the season and never looked back.
Pough claims his third MEAC Coach of the Year honor.
Other Bulldogs receiving All-MEAC honors were senior’s De’Montrez Burroughs (WR), Alex Taylor (OL) and Tyrell Goodwin (DL) were all named to the MEAC First Team, while redshirt senior Malik Mickle (OL), redshirt junior Roderick Perry (DL) and redshirt sophomore Decobie Durant (DB) were named Second Team All-MEAC respectively. Juniors LaBron Morris (RB) and Mike Terry (OL) each was tabbed to the Third Team All-MEAC.
