August 27th 2023.
Coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough is stepping away from his role as head football coach at South Carolina State University (SCSU) after 22 successful seasons and nearly 50 years in athletics. On August 24th, Pough delivered the surprising news to his team after morning practice.
“I wanted to let you all know before the season got underway,” Pough told his team. “No one is running me off. It’s my decision. When you have done something for 47 years, it’s a bit tough to give it up but it’s time. I will be all right.”
Pough has an remarkable record at SCSU, amassing a 146–87 overall record and a 112–42 conference record, making him the winningest head coach in the program’s history. He also has an impressive list of NFL players he has coached, including two of the highest-paid positions in the league, linebacker Shaquille Darius Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts and and nose tackle Javon Hargrave of the San Francisco 49ers.
Pough is an alumnus of SCSU and its football team, earning All-MEAC honors as an offensive lineman. He is highly respected and admired on campus for the example he has set for students. SCSU President Alexander Conyers said, “Coach Buddy Pough is more than just a legend on our campus and the world of college sports. He is a living example to our students of what it means to be a loyal alumnus.”
Pough's impact on his team and students goes beyond the football field. Earl B. Hunter Jr., who was on Pough's football team from 1990-1994, said he was more than just a coach to him.
“Coach Pough is a once-in-a-lifetime individual who changed my life. He didn’t just tell me he loved me; he showed me he loved me through making sure I finished everything that I started. He wouldn’t let me quit,” said Hunter, who runs the outdoor industry business, Black Folks Camp Too.
Pough's legacy will live on through his players and students for years to come. SCSU’s acting Athletics Director Keisha Campbell said, “Coach Pough has brought much success to the Bulldog football program and has played a major role in enhancing the S.C. State brand. We wish him much success in his final season and know that he will continue to be a loyal son to the university.”
The team opens its season Saturday against Jackson State University in Atlanta, and BLACK ENTERPRISE recently sat down with Pough and JSU’s new head coach T.C. Taylor to discuss the business impact and the importance of viewership of the Cricket Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference/Southwestern Athletic Conference Challenge, which aired Saturday, Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
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