SC State coach says Tigers could have "murderous mindset" after loss to Georgia

Dabo Swinney's Tigers take on SC State this weekend.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Thu Sep 09 08:00:06 GMT-04:00 2021

South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough wishes, at least for his team’s sake, that Clemson had beaten Georgia last weekend so his squad wouldn’t have to face a mad and "murderous" bunch of Tigers.

Pough’s Bulldogs square off against No. 6 Clemson Saturday in Death Valley (5 pm, ACC Network). Clemson is 4-0 all-time against the Bulldogs, including a 59-0 victory the last time the teams met, back in 2016.

SC State lost a 42-41 heartbreaker to Alabama A&M last weekend, but now they get an angry group of Tigers.

“We’ve got a chance to catch a Tiger by the tail. What happens if you catch it, especially one that’s been riled up by another Bulldog here a week or so before,” Pough said earlier this week. “We got our work cut out for us. They will want to put on a big-time show this week. I don't know if they played poorly or if Georgia is just that good on defense. The more I look at Georgia, I thought they had an excellent scheme, and I am sure Clemson wasn’t prepared for them. That is the risk you run early in the season. I don’t know if they had a chance against Georgia, given the circumstances. It's going to be a tough test."

Pough laughed when he was asked what he thinks the mindset of the Tigers will be.

"Those guys might just be in a murderous mindset," Pough said, laughing. "You're talking about a volatile situation. I would have really liked them to have won; the defense played well. The deep concern is how they beat you up but are able to stay fresh due to their depth."

However, it will be an experience that Pough wants to make sure his players enjoy.

“It's an enjoyable experience. I try to make sure that all of our young kids, the freshmen we just signed, get a chance to make the trip. It's a good experience for all of us, where we make sure we maximize all of the things we can do,” he said. “We will go and stay in a really nice hotel, we will stay in the hotel all of the other teams stay in when they play Clemson. And then they get to see all of the pomp and circumstance, the police escorts, and all that kind of stuff. They take us from the hotel, and I think it's about a 45-minute ride if you don't stop. It's an occasion where you get to see the inner workings of big-time college.”

What does he want to see out of his Bulldogs?

"I want to see us gang tackle, run to the football and get guys to the ground after they make a play," Pough said. "When they do make plays, we have to minimize the damage and try to keep the momentum. We've got some young linemen that we're starting to get excited about. Maybe down the road, we might really have something, but the more experience they get in these situations will allow us to get more of an understanding of how good they can be.

“Our guys have had this game on their radar. They know that this is the game all pro scouts will be watching. They want to see how you performed against a Power 5 school. Hopefully we will get some of those to come to the forefront this weekend.”

He also wants to see how his offensive line stands up to Clemson’s defensive line.

“Clemson's defensive front is magnificent. But I think our offensive line is pretty good, too,” Pough said. “I am excited about having them have an opportunity to go out and match these guys.”