Buddy Pough still SC State’s football coach, but that could change
Buddy Pough wants to return for another year as the South Carolina State football coach but nothing has been decided.
Pough announced Wednesday at his year-ending news conference that he hopes to return for his 18th season, but negotiations still are ongoing with the school.
“We will be working with our administration to what the status of the program is,” Pough said. S.C. State Athletics Director Stacy Danley “and I have gone through the evaluation process to see what was good, bad or all things you talk about at the end of the year. He is now in the process to get with the administration and our board to see what would be done at that point.
“As of this point, we haven’t decided on his side or my side whether an agreement will come together again. ... Under the right circumstances, I think I would like like to come back. That is pretty much known. We got to make sure we got all the pieces in place.”
There were talks before the season that this might be Pough’s last in Orangeburg, and he hinted at it after Saturday’s 21-17 season-ending loss to North Carolina Central. Pough agreed to a one-year deal last offseason.
Danley issued a statement Wednesday afternoon about Pough’s situation.
“Discussions regarding Coach Pough’s contract have not taken place at this time. I will have the appropriate discussions, with Coach Pough and President Clark to determine, the state of the program. Subsequently, a decision will be made based on what we believe will be in the best interest of the university,” Danley said in the statement.
Pough wouldn’t put a timeline on when he hoped to have a decision one way or another but “if it is not done in a week or so, then you probably see a change.” He said if he is not back at S.C. State, he would be open to coaching at another place.
Coming back would give Pough a chance to break the school’s all-time records for victories held by Hall of Fame coach Willie Jeffries. Pough, a former all-conference lineman at S.C. State, is 125-70 and needs four wins to break Jeffries’ mark.
But Pough said breaking Jeffries’ record is somewhat of a factor in coming back but getting to coach longer is the main reason.
“I care so much about coach Jeffries that I don’t know if I deserve to be ahead of him,” Pough said. “Even if I win more games than Willie Jeffries, I don’t think there will be ever a guy that can replace Willie Jeffries in hearts and lives of South Carolina State folks.”
The Bulldogs started out 1-5 but won five of their last six games. Pough said he was invigorated by his young players and the way things finished at the end of the season to give him optimism should he come back next season.
“We got 14 or 15 freshman that have played, and they have come about in a way that gives you a big piece of confidence that it can be pretty good in years to come,” Pough said. “I am excited about the possibility of what could be with this group of kids. I’d like to be around to try and see it all.”
Under Pough, S.C. State has won two outright Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles (2008, 2009) and shared four others (2004, 2010, 2013, 2014). The Bulldogs made four trips to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2013.
Before going to S.C. State, Pough spent five seasons as an assistant at South Carolina under Lou Holtz. He also coached at Keenan and Fairfield Central high schools and led FC to the 1996 Class 3A state title.
This story was originally published November 28, 2018 at 1:50 PM.