Orangeburg, SC – The South Carolina State defense matched the offense with three touchdowns scored and got several other defensive stops to outscore the offense 32-23 Saturday in the Bulldogs' annual Garnet and Blue game.

Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough said he was not surprised at the outcome, as the defense is typically ahead of the offense during the spring.

“The defense played very well, I thought,” Pough said. “But that's not so unusual as our defense has a knack for creating turnovers and touchdown-scoring opportunities, especially during the spring.

“We are making a lot of changes on offense, as far as our schemes, so that side of the football has to learn a great deal. We've changed so much as we are trying to design our offense around the three quarterbacks we have vying for the job. They are all athletic types that can run, but they have to get used to a lot of changes.”


The defense scored touchdowns on a blocked punt return, a fumble return and an interception return in the annual contest, which used a special scoring system to award the defense additional points when it came up with defensive stops.

Three Bulldog quarterbacks directed four scoring drives, three which were culminated by touchdowns, however, it was not enough to overcome a dominant effort by the defense, which added an additional 12 points when it stopped the offense on a three and out (2 pts) or stopped a drive without allowing a score (1 pt.)

Sophomore redshirt quarterback Richard Cue directed two scoring drives, one ending with a 37-yard scoring run by Chris Merrill in the second quarter and the other on a 12-yard scoring pass to Thomas Williams.

Redshirt junior signal caller Derrick Wiley, the only one of three SC State quarterbacks battling to replace three-year starter Malcolm Long, directed a scoring drive that ended with Blake Erickson's 23-yard field goal in the third quarter.

His younger brother, Tedarrius Wiley, culminated a scoring drive with a 55-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dennis Rowe in the fourth quarter.

Pough said the quarterbacking position was not solidified after Saturday's game, however, he noted that Derrick Wiley and Cue were the top two challengers to win the job vacated by the departure of Long.
The defensive touchdowns came on a first-quarter blocked punt return by defensive back Marquel Goodman, a 43 yard fumble return by Cortney Ingram in the second period and a 75-yard interception return by Mason Harris in the third.

Abbreviated Stats

Rushing
WR Lennel Elmore (ends around), 6 rushes 73 yards
RB Chris Merrill, 4 rushes, 61 yards, 1 TD
QB Derrick Wiley, 8 rushes, 27 yards
QB Richard Cue, 6 rushes, 25 yards

Passing
Richard Cue, 6-14, 58 yards
Derrick Wiley, 7-13, 52 yards
Tedarrius Wiley, 2-5, 65 yards, 1 TD

Receiving
Dennis Rowe, 1-55 yds, 1TD
Tyler McDonald, 3-33 yds
Thomas Williams, 2-19
Lennel Elmore, 2-17