ORANGEBURG, S.C. (WCIV) — Former South Carolina State University head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough has been appointed as the interim director of athletics, President Alexander Conyers announced Thursday. Pough will oversee Bulldog athletics as the university conducts a national search for a permanent director. Pough takes over from Dr. Nathan Cochran, who recently left the university. Cochran had been serving as vice president and director of athletics since December 2023. “On behalf of the Bulldog family, I thank Dr. Cochran for his service and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” Conyers said. A two-time graduate of SC State, Pough is a distinguished figure in college football, having led the university’s football team for 22 years. He holds the record as the winningest head football coach in SC State history, guiding the team to three National (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Championships. Pough is recognized among the top coaches in the 53-year history of the MEAC and within the HBCU community. His career boasts 15 winning seasons, three MEAC Coach of the Year honors, two National Coach of the Year awards, and two national HBCU titles. His teams secured three outright MEAC titles in 2008, 2009, and 2021, shared five others, and made four appearances in the FCS playoffs. Pough briefly served as interim athletics director in late 2023. Categories: Local News, Local Sports, South Carolina Sports, Sports Tags: South Carolina State University