ORANGEBURG, SC – South Carolina State will culminate spring football drills Saturday with its annual Garnet and Blue Game, beginning at 1 p.m. at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium's Willie Jeffries Field. Admission to the contest is free.
Due to injuries, the contest will pit the Bulldog defense against the offense in an approximately two-hour scrimmage.
Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough, who is beginning his 11th season at his alma mater, said he and his staff are looking to see how much progress his team has made during the spring.
“We are anxious to see what strides we have made in our preparation this spring,” he said. “We hope that we will get a good solid effort on both sides of the football. Despite being slowed by injuries, it's been a pretty production spring.
“I'm really excited about the play of some of our young players,” he continued. “I think the experience they have developed will be very valuable when we start our fall preparation. We will need for them to step up if we are to be a good team, contend for the conference title and be competitive in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision).”
SC State is looking to replace 18 seniors – among them 12 starters -- from the 2011 team that was 7-4 and tied for second in the MEAC race with a 6-2 mark. Prior to last year, the Bulldogs had won or shared the last three conference titles and made three straight appearances in the FCS playoffs.
In Saturday's contest, the offense will score in the conventional way (TD 6 pts., FG 3 pts., PAT kick 1 pt., PAT run 2 pts.), while the defense will be awarded points using a special scoring system (TD 6 pts., safety 2 pts., offense 3 and out 2 pts., any stop of offensive drive 1 pt.), Pough noted. Also, all extra points scored after a defensive touchdown will be given to the defense.
Other guidelines: possessions will start on the 35-yard line after every score and to start the game; due to a shortage of linemen, every other series will be completed with no offensive or defensive linemen; and if the offense has to punt, the ball will be fair caught and the next possession will start where the punt was fielded.
Season ticket applications will be available at the SC State Ticket Office from 12 noon to 4 p.m., and the STATE Club, the Bulldog booster group, will sponsor a cookout and conduct its annual membership drive after the contest.
In addition, the SC State bookstore will be setup at the game for purchase of Bulldog apparel, and tickets for the Apr. 28 Buddy Pough Roast and Dinner will be available.
The Bulldogs open the 2012 season Aug. 30 in a Thursday night contest Georgia State in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
