Buddy Pough’s last homecoming game as South Carolina State head coach had a storybook ending thanks to a 27-24 win over Howard.
This weekend, he’ll try to write one more final chapter as the Morgan State Bears visit Oliver C. Dawson Stadium for Pough’s last official home game on Saturday at noon.
“We were lucky to get out of the half up 10-7, then we realized we could run the football on them a little bit,” Pough said. “One of our freshmen, who we can call a phenom now because he’s shown signs of being special, put us on his shoulders.”
That would be true freshman running back Jawarn Howell, who sliced and diced the Bison to the tune of 283 yards on 27 carries. Pough knows the running lanes might be a little crowded this week, thanks to the Bears’ defense.
“We’ve got Morgan State coming in here this weekend, and that puts a damper on Senior Day a little bit because they’ve got a defense that can kill a rock,” he said. “Our strength is their strength. They’re really good at run defense, so it should be a really good game.”
That rock-threatening defense of MSU led the Bears to a 24-17 win over Delaware State last Saturday, their second in a row and pulling them into a three-way tie with South Carolina State and Howard for second place in the MEAC.
“It’s good to get a win at home, send our seniors out on a good note,” head coach Damon Wilson said. “Delaware State continued to fight. They played really well and made it a good ball game in the second half.”
With the home part of their schedule now completed, the Bears finish the season this weekend at South Carolina State and Nov. 18 at Howard. To still be competitive at this point in the season, after all that MSU has been through, is an encouraging sign for Wilson.
“We feel good as a coaching staff that we’ve prepared our guys to deal with different, adverse situations,” Wilson said. “These guys have preserved, continued to fight and work together. We know we’re laying the right foundation down.”
And as the Bears prepare for the challenge of being Buddy Pough’s last home opponent, Wilson is ready to match wits with the dean of MEAC football coaches one final time.
“I know he said the 1973 SC State team is going to be there to see him off, so we have to be ready,” he said. “Coach Pough is a great guy, and at the end of the day, if my career is as half as successful as his, I’ll be happy with that.”
