Buddy Pough's reach is beyond S.C. State

COACH BUDDY POUGH

CLEMSON, South Carolina — South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough has impacted hundreds, if not thousands, of lives during his 16-year head-coaching tenure.

However, year 17 will be the last for the legendary head coach as Pough will exit as the head coach of his alma mater following the 2018 season. But Pough’s reach and impact are not lost on one coach in particular — Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott.

"Man, he gave me my start. He took a chance on me,” Elliott said. “Here I was a guy that was kind of at a crossroads in life -- figuring out what I wanted to do with my future. I was working at Michelin as an engineer, had a bright future ahead of me, but I wanted to fulfill a purpose and I felt like coaching was the best opportunity to fulfill that purpose. He took a chance on me. He gave me a job, no experience.”

Following a two-year absence from football, Elliott decided that he wanted to get back into the game that he loved.

In 2006, former Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden had an open spot on his coaching staff for a graduate assistant and Elliott jumped at the opportunity to return to his alma mater and begin his coaching career, but that spot was filled by another candidate.

Elliott did not give up on his dream — using his contacts, and former coaches, at Clemson to give him a chance at a small school in Orangeburg.

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