Why MEAC favorite SC State has chance to add to Buddy Pough’s legacy in 2021

The script for the ultimate send-off by a legendary Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football coach was written in 2017. Rod Broadway, after leading North Carolina A&T to an undefeated season and a Celebration Bowl win in Atlanta, retired on top.

Four years later, Buddy Pough, 67, is closing in on two decades at South Carolina State. His Bulldogs are picked to win the MEAC and, yes, play in the Celebration Bowl for a shot at the de-facto Black college football national title.

A win there and will Pough, who’s under contract until New Year’s Eve, follow Broadway’s script?

“I hope not,” Pough said with a grin when asked during MEAC Media Day in July.

S.C. State’s all-time winningest coach isn’t calling the 2021 fall season his last, so think of it just as another opportunity to add to his legacy.

Can’t-miss game

▪ at Norfolk State, Nov. 20

The 2021 finale could decide the regular season conference title. The Spartans were picked second in the league’s preseason poll and feature Juwan Carter, the preseason MEAC Offensive Player of the Year.

A successful season is ...

The Bulldogs have claimed seven MEAC titles under Pough, including 2019 when the former Gamecocks assistant was named the league’s coach of the year. Plenty of key contributors from that team are still on the roster, including FCS preseason All-American cornerback Decobie Durant and preseason All-MEAC quarterback Corey Fields.

In other words, S.C. State is primed to live up its to lofty expectations.

The Bulldogs went 3-1 last spring after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped away their 2020 fall season.

“I think we got most of that team back,” Pough said of the 2019 squad that finished 8-3. “That’s why you think, especially on defense, we’ve got a chance to be fairly decent.”

S.C. State returns nine starters on defense and seven on offense from 2019. Pough is most excited about having back all five offensive linemen who played in the spring 2021 finale, a 31-28 win over Delaware State that came with over 400 yards, including 211 on the ground.

“Our spring gave us an opportunity to develop this new offensive line,” Pough said. “So we feel like our offensive line, even though we were decent in 2019, should be a little bit better.”

Fields was the MEAC’s Rookie of the Year in 2019 after throwing for over 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns.

“We should be an explosive offense,” Fields said. “We got some young guys at the wide receiver position. And the running backs can catch the ball in space and make plays when they get the ball. So it should be an explosive offense this year.”

Durant is the face of a defense that held opponents to a MEAC-best 20.3 points per game in 2019.

Three players to watch

▪ Corey Fields, QB

The 2019 MEAC Rookie of the Year is back for his second full season as SC State’s starter. In 2019, he had a 3-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio.

▪ Kendrell Flowers, RB

A Columbia native and Irmo High School product, Flowers is a Wake Forest transfer who led the Bulldogs in rushing over four games in the spring.

▪ Decobie Durant, CB

The preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year broke up a league-best 12 passes and had three interceptions in 2019. He had four picks in four games in the spring.

SC State football radio affiliates

• Orangeburg: 92.9 FM / 1580 AM (ESPN Orangeburg)
• Columbia: 105.1 FM
• Camden: 99.5 FM / 1130 AM
• Florence: 98.7 FM
• Florence/Sumter/Myrtle Beach: 1080 AM

SC State 2021 football schedule

* — Conference game

This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 9:28 AM.