Yahoo Sports How Chennis Berry restored SC State football to prominence in first season as coach
Since taking the job as head football coach of the South Carolina State Bulldogs, Chennis Berry has talked about the school’s rich history with the sport.
Though the team capped the 2024 season with a 53-21 victory Saturday over Norfolk State, it earned the school’s 19th Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship a week ago.
The win improved S.C. State to 9-2, the first time the team has won that many games since 2013 when it went 9-4 under former coach Buddy Pough. The team went 10-2 in 2009, also under Pough.
“The sky is the limit,” Berry said of his program. “We have a bunch of young men that have totally bought into the process. We just want to go 1-0 every day. They believe in that wholeheartedly.”
Saturday’s game didn’t start the way the Bulldogs hoped as Norfolk State led for most first half. Following an interception and return to the 3-yard line by defensive back Sage Beauchert-Irvine, quarterback Jalen Daniels ran the ball into the end zone from 1 yard out to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.
S.C. State didn’t wrestle the lead from the Spartans until quarterback Ryan Stubblefield ran in from 3 yards out with 1:22 remaining in the opening half for a 17-14 advantage.
The Bulldogs quickly increased their lead when Einaj Carter caught a 10-yard pass from Stubblefield with 8:39 left in the third quarter.
They improved that lead by two when linebacker Javion Snow blocked a Noah Tracey punt that went through the end zone.
Berry adds to SC State history
Leading his team to an undefeated MEAC campaign, South Carolina State now has 19 league championships, meaning Berry has joined an exclusive club.
“For me it’s about culture, so it means a lot,” Berry said. “Every day when I come into that stadium, we go to practice and I see those 18 MEAC championships. To know now we have brought home the 19th championship brings joy because South Carolina State isn’t a stranger to winning. They have been winning a long time.
“Now I can say we have put our stamp as the 2024 team to join that winning as well.”
The Bulldogs finished the regular season with eight straight victories, earning the team a slot in the Celebration Bowl against the SWAC champion — either Jackson State or Southern.
Berry took over the program after leading Benedict College to a 27-7 record, going undefeated in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play the last two seasons.
He put together the Bulldogs by liberally using the transfer portal, then integrated the new athletes with those already on the team.
“It had to start with buy-in,” he said. “A lot of newness was taking place. Our process was pretty simple. We try to win, not only on the field but off the field. If you can take care of those mundane things, winning will take care of itself.
“For me it’s not about the best player, it’s about the best fit. When we were putting this thing together, it was important for us to get that best fit. Once you get the fit, you have to get the buy-in.”
Berry knew who he wanted to lead the offense — a familiar face he coached for a season at Benedict.
Eric Phoenix, who played for Berry for a season prior to transferring to Murray State, was ready to contact his former coach after hearing of his move to Orangeburg.
An injury kept Phoenix out of Saturday’s regular-season finale, but Ryan Stubblefield filled in admirably. He completed 17 of 24 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for another one.
Running back KZ Adams was a force on the ground, rushing for 128 yards and three touchdowns.
The offense entered the final regular-season game averaging 33.7 points per game.
The team has been stout defensively as well, with linebacker Ashaad Hall leading the way with double-digit sacks and tackles for loss.
“We’re still not hitting on all cylinders,” Berry said. “People think I’m crazy when I say that, but I mean that. We haven’t played our best football yet. We’re headed in the right direction and I love the direction of this football team, but we still have a ways to go.”
Endorsed by legendary Buddy Pough
The team hasn’t spent a lot of time thinking about the Celebration Bowl, although it was a team goal.
“Our young men are so locked into it, it’s about expectations now,” Berry said. “How will they handle that? It’s about looking straight forward — their eyes on the prize. When we came into the season, our very first team meeting, we talked about it.
“It’s never really about the opponent. It’s us against us. We haven’t played our best ball yet, but we’re headed in the right direction.”
Having early success in his new job has Berry proud for another reason — justifying the faith legendary Bulldogs coach Buddy Pough placed in him.
“Coach Pough has been great to me from the time I got here,” he said. “He’s the reason I’m here. I don’t take this lightly because he believed in me. He saw something in me and I’m grateful for it. He embraced me when that game (against Morgan State) was over and it meant a lot. That’s my guy.
“I’m grateful for the relationship we have. He’s been a resource when I need him.”
Pough coached at S.C. State for more than 20 years, and is the school’s all-time wins leader. His final teams finished 3-8 and 5-6, though, and the program had to vacate wins from the 2021 season because of NCAA infractions.
Pough made his thoughts about Berry clear during a halftime press box visit Saturday.
“There were some others mentioned,” Pough said of the coaching search. “But, for me, there was only one. (Berry) was the only guy I wanted. We have a great president. I’m glad he let me handle things and listened to what I wanted to do.”
Celebration Bowl
When: Noon Dec. 14
TV: ABC
Teams: MEAC champion South Carolina State vs SWAC champion Jackson State or Southern (SWAC title game to be played Dec. 7)
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
