Pough turns to past to improve SC State’s future

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) — After the worst season of his coaching career, South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough looked to his team’s recent past to improve its future.

The Bulldogs were29-8 and won three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles from 2008 to 2010. The team’s fallen off the past two seasons, the Bulldogs finishing 5-6 last fall for the first losing season in Pough’s 11 seasons in charge.

Pough acknowledges the offense struggled to move the ball the past two seasons, in large part due to a lack of consistency running the ball. Top rusher Jalen Simmons had just 512 yards and four touchdowns. So Pough re-hired his offensive coordinator from that successful stretch in Joe Blackwell, who left after 2009.

Blackwell says he’ll get the Bulldogs back to the business of strong running.