S.C. State is not satisfied with just making FCS playoffs

ORANGEBURG -- After years of frustrating, disheartening near misses, South Carolina State finally hit the mark in 2008.

The Bulldogs ran the table in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, winning the conference title by a three-game margin.

The reward for the first outright MEAC title and double-digit win season in 14 years was a spot in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the first time since 1982.

"Yeah, we finally got over the hump, somewhat," said Buddy Pough, who is 57-24 in seven seasons.

"The first thing we learned from the whole affair was that now we do belong. But at the same time, we believe that just getting in isn't enough. We'd like to be in a position to get a home game and actually make some real noise in the playoffs. The challenge is to do more, and I think we have that capability."

The 2009 season will provide the best evidence yet of the relative strength of the program that Pough has assembled.

Graduation, injuries and other factors have exacted a heavy toll. The state budget crisis ended the practice of having most of the players on campus during the second summer school session.

"We lost some great players, some great leaders," Pough said. "We've had a couple of tough injuries already. We had to trust that the players were mature enough to get themselves ready for fall practice on their own away from school.

"For the most part, the guys did their work, but there's no way of knowing right now if not having the players together on campus during the summer will be a negative."

Pough thinks he has the depth and talent in place to keep moving forward.

"We may be relying on some young, unproven guys in some spots, but overall I like where we are right now," Pough said.

"We might even be a little better overall as a team, talent-wise, this year, but we won't really know until we see what happens on the field."

The biggest areas of concern are the offensive and defensive lines, which took major graduation hits. There will be four new starters up front and four regulars are gone from the defensive line.

"I don't care what anybody says, you can have all the fancy skills and schemes you want, but unless you are good on the offensive and defensive lines you are in trouble," said Pough.

The fixture linebackers in the Bulldogs' 4-2-5 base set are gone. Four-year starter Tony White graduated, and Lamar native Marshall McFadden, who led the team in tackles and was primed for a huge senior year, suffered a season-ending injury in practice last week.

Punter Aaron Hare, who was 14th nationally in net punting average last year, left to enter medical school.

But for all the concerns, S.C. State has plenty of proven talent.

Senior running back Will Ford, the MEAC offensive player of the year in 2008 and a Walter Peyton Award nominee, returns and needs 1,009 yards to become the conference's all-time rushing leader. Is in line to be a two-time All-America player. Senior Travil Jamison emerged from Pough's doghouse to run for 592 yards and lead the MEAC with 16 touchdowns.

Malcolm Long led the Bulldogs to a championship as a sophomore starter at quarterback, and should be even better this time around. The former South Carolina "Mr. Football" from Gaffney had 1,959 yards passing and 14 scoring throws in his debut.

"We all know Malcolm can throw the ball, but I think that with a year of experience under his belt he is really ready to show what he can do," said Pough.

"We have a lot of weapons. We just have to figure how the best way to get everybody involved as we go along."

Burke product Tre' Young and Terrance Smith are proven deep threats at receiver. Young had 48 catches for 605 yards and four touchdowns last season. Smith moves back to offense after playing mostly at cornerback a year ago.

Junior tackle Johnny Culbreath (6-5, 310) is a potential All-America at tackle and the clear leader on the offensive line.

The top returning hands from a unit that ranked 11th nationally last season in total defense are senior end Markus James, senior cornerback Phillip Adams, senior strong safety Markee Hamlin and senior free safety Rafeal Bush.

Ford, Culbreath and Hamlin were All-MEAC first team selections last year, while Young was a second-team pick.

Hamlin is a four-year starter, while James, Adams and Bush are three-year starters.