It has been said that you never want to be the guy who replaces a legend. In that often unenviable position first-year South Carolina Coach Chennis Berry is as he replaces legendary Bulldogs head coach Oliver “ Buddy” Pough, who retired at the end of last season.
However, Coach Berry is anything but Tim Floyd following Phil Jackson in this equation. Berry has nearly 30 years of coaching experience, beginning his career at Morris Brown in 1996. He also spent time at Kentucky State, Fort Valley State, Savannah State, Howard, Morgan State, North Carolina A&T, Southern, and Benedict with success following at each stop. In his previous post before heading to Orangeburg, Coach Berry was the head man at Benedict Collge in his three seasons there he compiled a 27-7 record, winning back-to-back SIAC titles and consecutive appearances in the Division II Playoffs.
In his first at SCSU Coach Berry has led the Bulldogs to the apex of the MEAC standings. On a five-game winning streak and a defeat of then no. 19 in the AFCA Poll and no. 1 in the Inside the HBCU Sports Lab Poll North Carolina Central, all indications point to the Bulldogs on the right path. Refusing to bask in the spotlight of a few wins, which many coaches would have their proverbial chest out over, however, this is not the case for Coach Berry, who describes himself as being “built different.”
When asked about what his team has accomplished to this point in his first season, the Bulldogs’ coach had this to say:
“We’ve done absolutely nothing…We’ve still got a lot of ball to play. I’m a little different, you cant rub me on the back and tell me how great I am, and [ you might] be looking for the soft spots.
At the end of the day, we are heading in the right direction. Are we there yet? We’ve got a lot of ball [left] to play and a lot to learn, and a lot [of room]to grow. I’m just grateful the guys have found a way to buy in.
When we look at this, we have a long way to go, I’m pleased where we are headed, but we have a long way to where we want to be.”
With the win over North Carolina Central last Thursday, the Bulldogs, now 6-2 overall and 2-0 in the MEAC, control their destiny as it relates to the path to the MEAC Championship and the Celebration Bowl berth that accompanies it. Winners of five straight, South Carolina State heads to the nation’s capital where the Bison of Howard awaits. SCSU edged out HU 27-24 in their meeting last season.
