By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Watching assistant coaches leave for greener pastures is nothing new for South Carolina State University head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough.
The latest departure from his staff comes from defensive tackles’ coach DeJuan Polk, who has taken a position with the pro personnel department with the Atlanta Falcons. The former Clemson University four-year letterman and member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll will be responsible for evaluating team talent and scouting potential new free agents.
“It’s an opportunity ... to try something a little different that you’re not used to but could leave to a lot of different areas,” he said.
Polk joined the Bulldogs’ coaching staff last season after a graduate assistant stint with the Tigers. Ironically, he and former SCSU quarterbacks coach Billy Napier came to Orangeburg last year from Clemson, where Napier returned to in January to become the new offensive line coach.
Despite his brief stay, Polk said he was “more than happy” at SCSU and that made the decision to leave and that a front-office job in the NFL.
“It was a tough decision to make,” he said. “I love coaching. Coach Pough gave me the opportunity here and I can’t thank him enough. We’ve got a great program here and it’s really on the rise. They’re really are going to do some good things here.
Polk “plans to hit the ground running” in Atlanta, where SCSU faces Georgia Tech in 2010, on July 17. Assistant head coach David Blanchard remains in charge of the entire defensive line.
SCSU ranked 23rd in preseason poll
An early perusal of some of the preseason college football publications available at bookstores has one publication ranking SCSU in its early-season Top 25 polls.
The Bulldogs tied with Massachusetts for 23rd in the Street and Smith’s college football preview edition. Coming off a second straight 9-2 season and finishing 19th and 20th, respectively, in the ESPN/USA Today and Sports Network Division I-AA Top 25 polls, SCSU finished ahead of William and Mary and were one of three Palmetto State schools ranked in the poll among with ninth-ranked Furman and 14th ranked Coastal Carolina, whom SCSU faces Sept. 23 in Conway.
Defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Hampton placed 10th in the poll. The Pirates were also ranked 23rd in Lindy’s preseason college football edition. SCSU plays host to Hampton on Oct. 21.
SCSU season tickets are still available for purchase in four different packages:
GARNET & BLUE (Sections I, J, K) — $105
Four home games
DOG POUND (Section W) — $95
Four home games
BULLDOG FANATIC (Football and Basketball tickets) — $160
Four home football games and 10-12 home basketball games
Fans can also purchase parking for all four home football games for $50. For more information, call the SCSU Ticket Office at (803) 536-8579 or (800) 298-9157 or visit the school website at www.scsu.edu/services/ticketoffice
T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at
[email protected] or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories online at TheT&D.com.