Davis leaving S.C. State for Fairfield Central job

This year's spring practice will have added meaning for South Carolina State assistant coach Demetrius Davis.

When the Garnet and Blue game is finished April 16, Davis will close the book on nine seasons with the Bulldogs. Following the conclusion of Thursday's practice, it was learned that Davis was leaving the program to become the new head football coach of his alma mater Fairfield Central High School.

Davis will be officially introduced today during a 9 a.m. press conference at the school district office in Winnsboro. He replaces former Bulldog linebacker and Orangeburg-Wilkinson head coach Reggie Kennedy, who went 27-8 in his second stint at the school before becoming the new head football coach at Blythewood High School.

VIDEO: Davis accepts job at Fairfield Central

The brothers Wiley, Cue ready to battle it out for Bulldogs' starting QB spot

As the most "battle-tested" quarterback currently on the South Carolina State roster, redshirt junior Derrick Wiley currently has a hold on the starting job.

It would not shock quarterbacks coach Kevin Magouirk, however, if either Wiley's younger brother, TeDarrius, or Richard Cue can progress enough to move into the top spot for the Sept. 1 season-opener at Central Michigan.

Bulldogs don shoulder pads for first time -- and get physical

Spring practice got more physical Saturday for the South Carolina State as the players donned shoulder pads for the first time.

The two-hour session at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium was the longest so far as the Bulldogs' offenses and defenses spent half the time working against each other. The 7-on-7 passing drills to close practice saw both sides displaying enough hustle and aggressiveness right up to the restriction point placed by head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough.

Bulldogs open spring practice for a 2011 season of transition

The players' faces have changed over the past nine seasons, and spring practice still brings a sense of newness for South Carolina State head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough.

"It never gets old," said Pough during a break from the opening practice for spring football Tuesday night at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. "It's the one time of the year to see what you've got as far as these guys' development and see how they come out of running and conditioning. So I'm excited as I can be to check out the new guys."

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VISIT: SCSU ATHLETICS
VISIT: THE BULLDOGZONE

South Carolina State Bulldogs playoff bound

SCSU Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough 

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Malcolm Long had four touchdowns to become South Carolina State's all-time TD leader with 48, and the Bulldogs defeated North Carolina A&T 48-3 on Saturday. With the win, the Bulldogs (9-2, 7-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) earned their third consecutive trip to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Long threw an 8-yard pass to Tyler McDonald late in the first quarter to start the scoring. He then added his first of three rushing touchdowns, a 1-yard run early in the second quarter.

Gaffney's Long sets SC State TD mark, leads Bulldogs to playoffs

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Gaffney’s Malcolm Long had four touchdowns to become South Carolina State’s all-time TD leader, and the Bulldogs defeated North Carolina A&T 48-3 on Saturday. With the win, the Bulldogs (9-2, 7-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) earned their third straight trip to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Long, who was tied for the Bulldogs’ career mark with 44 heading in, threw an 8-yard pass to Tyler McDonald late in the first quarter to start the scoring. He then added his first of three rushing touchdowns, a 1-yard run early in the second quarter.

S.C. State earns FCS playoff berth

As Oliver "Buddy" Pough taped his weekly television show early Sunday morning, he remained unsure if his South Carolina State football team had played their final game for 2010 hours earlier.

At 10:10 a.m., the Bulldogs' head football coach got the answer he was hoping for - an at-large berth into the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. The now three-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions will travel to Statesboro, Ga. this Saturday to face Georgia Southern at Paulson Stadium in one of four noon opening round games.

Aggies finish 1-10 season with loss to Bulldogs

As Oliver "Buddy" Pough taped his weekly television show early Sunday morning, he remained unsure if his South Carolina State football team had played their final game for 2010 hours earlier.

At 10:10 a.m., the Bulldogs' head football coach got the answer he was hoping for - an at-large berth into the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. The now three-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions will travel to Statesboro, Ga. this Saturday to face Georgia Southern at Paulson Stadium in one of four noon opening round games.

ATTENDANCE: 10,348
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FCS Season Preview: MEAC

Norfolk, VA - To gain favor with the coaching staff, some South Carolina State football players stage a little competition. They talk the talk, pointing out what they do well and what the others at their position don't. It's all in fun, and some of the players, like the linebackers, are always chirping.

"They all run 4.6's and some change, so they can all fly," head coach Buddy Pough said. "And to hear them talk how slow he is ..."

In truth, some of the players have to look hard to find chinks in others' armor. South Carolina State is quite talented. In fact, there might not be an FCS team favored more heavily than the Bulldogs are to win their conference title this season.

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How the Legacy Bowl could ruin S.C. State football

Orangeburg, S.C. -- (Excerpts) : South Carolina State has finally come clean about the Legacy Bowl. Around a month after Florida A&M issued a statement denouncing the bowl, earlier this week, the school issued a press release confirming that it, along with the rest of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, are engaged in talks regarding a potential Legacy Bowl that would put the winner of the MEAC against the winner of the SWAC at the end of the 2011 season.

All interview requests by T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr., directed to South Carolina State President George Cooper and Athletic Director Charlene Johnson were rejected. Looking at things from Johnson and Cooper's point of view, and for that matter the MEAC's, and in their defense, the game may actually provide an initial financial benefit. But, it's also a very near-sighted move, especially for South Carolina State.

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