Tuesday, November 6, 2012

S.C. State's Pough hopes defense recouped for rival A&T, push for winning year

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  Even after a season-best overall team performance for homecoming, the bye week could not have come a better time for South Carolina State.

Bulldogs’ head football coach Buddy Pough could not fathom the effort it would have taken from his coaching staff to get the players ready last weekend to face an improved North Carolina A&T.

“We couldn’t have played Saturday if we had to play,” he said at Monday’s weekly press conference.

“It would have been such a tough time just getting enough people together to put out on the field to play. We think we were better off having the time off.”



Pough was especially concerned about some of his key defensive players who were either out against Howard or not close to 100 percent. While linebacker Joe Thomas of Blackville-Hilda remains doubtful, S.C. State (4-5, 3-3) is hopeful of getting back Justin Hughes and Bandit Terrell Fitts for Saturday’s game.

As the defense convalesced, the offense spent the idle week continuing to refine their execution. Quarterback Richard Cue is coming off a school-record 417-yard, four-touchdown performance against the Bison, but faces an Aggies’ defense that has not allowed a touchdown in eight straight quarters overall and 10 straight at home.

READ MORE

No comments: