Area players keep SC State on top 11/28/2009 12:10 AM By NOAH FEIT Staff writer
The South Carolina State football team is having one of the best seasons in school history. The Bulldogs (10-1) won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and will play Southern Conference champion Appalachian State today in the first round of the FCS Division playoffs.
Under the guidance of head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough, the Bulldogs have emerged as a power, in part because of a roster primarily composed of the best prep football players in South Carolina. Aiken County is well represented on South Carolina State's current roster with five players suiting up for today's playoff game.
The Bulldogs will be counting on starting wide receiver Terrance Smith (Aiken High School), starting free safety Rafael Bush (Williston-Elko), starting bandit Devonne Quattlebaum (Ridge Spring-Monetta), reserve safety Sammie McDuffie (Silver Bluff) and defensive tackle Matt Key (Strom Thurmond).
"There's great football in that area," Pough said of recruiting players from Aiken County's high schools. "They're all good programs. The players just tend to be good, solid kids."
Of all the players on the Bulldogs' roster, few are as versatile as Smith. After playing receiver his first two seasons, Smith helped on defense in 2008, spending most of that season as a defensive back.
This year as a senior, Smith has played on both sides of the ball but his biggest impact has come on offense. Smith is second on the team with 36 receptions and four touchdown catches. He's also returned kicks and is third on the team with 516 all-purpose yards.
"He does a real good job in all phases of the game. He's one of our most talented players," Pough said of Smith, who has 64 career receptions for 923 yards and nine touchdowns. "He's a hard-nosed guy and one of our tougher players."
Few positions are as physically demanding as defensive tackle. Key, a senior, has thrived in the middle of the action, recording 14.5 tackles - two for a loss of yards - and recovering a fumble.
Pough was extremely complimentary of Key saying, "He's our best inside player. I wish we had redshirted him. It just seems like yesterday he was coming in as a freshman. He's been a good, solid player his entire career and is a fantastic young man."
Another senior Pough has turned to is Bush.
"He's one of our captains and playing best among our guys in the secondary," Pough said. "He's a big-play guy who can do a lot most guys can't do."
Bush is tied for third-most tackles on the team with 41.5 - 36 unassisted and two for a loss of yards - record an interception and returned a recovered fumble for a touchdown. He was named second-team All-MEAC.
Joining Bush in the Bulldogs' secondary is Quattlebaum. A player capable of doing everything during his days at RS-M, Quattlebaum's athleticism and versatility has helped S.C. State's defense. As a bandit, or dog safety, he applies pressure at the line of scrimmage as much as he drops back into coverage.
"He's a good pass rusher and can do a lot of things so well," Pough said of the junior who recorded 35 tackles, a sack, recovered two fumbles and made an interception.
Being able to do a lot of things well has helped McDuffie get playing time. The junior is Bush's primary backup at safety and has been a regular on special teams. In just eight games this season, he recorded 12.5 tackles.
"He's a versatile kid. He runs well and will strike you," Pough said.
The Bulldogs have another Aiken County player on their roster. Strom Thurmond grad Tristan Bellamy is listed as a reserve center but hasn't played all year because he's being redshirted.
"That caused one of the biggest arguments on our staff," Pough said of the decision to redshirt Bellamy. "He's good enough to play for us now. He's going to be a good, good center for us."
Bellamy is likely to be joined on the Bulldogs' roster next year by more players from Aiken County. Pough said he's got offers out to players at Aiken and North Augusta High, among other schools.
"We'll continue to recruit from there heavily," he said.
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