Even with bad weather, one bad cloud no longer hangs over SCSU football

Rainfall and scattered thunderstorms did not interrupt this weekend's spring practices schedule for the South Carolina State football team.

A bigger concern, however, are the winds of change encircling the Bulldogs, where they are looking to replace 11 starters for the upcoming season. For head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough, it dwarfs any other potential problems created by the weather or other outside forces.

"We've got a lot of new faces," Pough said. "Anytime you're replacing the positions we are replacing ... when you're responsible for replacing three offensive linemen (tackle Johnny Culbreath, guard Josh Harrison and center Sam Timothy), a quarterback (Malcolm Long), a running back (Chris Massey), some of the key personnel we lost offensively, that's probably as big a concern as we have...

SC State Conducts First Spring Drill in Full Pads

ORANGEBURG, SC – It's four practices down and eleven to go for South Carolina State after Sunday's spring football workout at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, the first in full pads for Coach Buddy Pough's team.

Pough, who is in his tenth season at SC State head football coach, said Sunday's practice -- which although in full pads did not have full live hitting until a goal-line activity near the end of the session -- was “interesting.” In addition to the lively goal-line activity, the Bulldogs conducted a mini waist-up session.

The players continue to show enthusiasm, something pleasing to Pough and his staff.  “We are getting a lot of installation done,” said Pough. “We have about another practice and a half left before we complete this phase of our workouts. We are throwing a lot of information at our players and today (Sunday), we really tested them by going in full pads.

SC State Spring Football Practice Brief

ORANGEBURG, SC – South Carolina State held its third spring football practice Saturday, the first in shorts and shoulder pads for the Bulldogs. During the approximately two-hour workout, Coach Buddy Pough's team continued to concentrate on installation of the schemes SC State plans to employ this fall.

Pough said his players continue to move around well and demonstrate a lot of hustle, however, he noted that the first practice in shoulder pads was a bit raggard at times, something he felt could be corrected with repetition.

SCSU Bulldogs 2011 Football Schedule

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION
9/1/2011 Central Michigan Mt. Pleasant, MI
9/10/2011 * Bethune-Cookman Daytona Beach, FL
9/17/2011 Indiana TBD
9/24/2011 * Delaware State% Orangeburg, SC
10/1/2011 * Norfolk State  TBD
10/8/2011 * North Carolina Central@ Orangeburg, SC
10/15/2011 * Georgia State Orangeburg, SC
10/22/2011 * Florida A&M& Orangeburg, SC
10/29/2011 * Howard    TBD
11/5/2011 OPEN
11/12/2011 * North Carolina A&T# Orangeburg, SC
11/19/2011 * Savannah State Savannah, GA

Home Games are in bold
Neutral Site Games are in italics
* denotes a Default contest
@-Homecoming
&-Youth/ROTC Day
%-Community Day
#-Senior Day

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