Hendrick leaves SCSU for South Florida

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer | Monday, March 03, 2008


For the third time in four years, South Carolina State will be seeking a new defensive coordinator.

Defensive coordinator John Hendrick, who arrived at SCSU following a five-year stint as Benedict head football coach, has been hired as the new defensive tackles coach at South Florida. The University of Pittsburgh graduate, who was a former All-Big East Defensive Lineman, joins a fledgling Football Bowl Subdivision program which made great strides last season in reaching as high as number two in the Bowl Championship Series rankings.

The move also reunites Hendrick with South Florida head coach Jim Leavitt, whom he worked with for two seasons at Kansas State in 1991-92. Hired to replace Tom Evangelista last March, Hendrick led a group which ranked second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in points allowed (19.6 points per game) and total defense. Previously, he was a defensive assistant at a Mississippi State which led the nation in total defense in the mid-1990s.

"Sometimes when you hire these guys, really good guys, they’re really in demand," SCSU head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough said. "When these Football Bowl Subdivision schools come after you and they really want you, they really make an offer you sometimes can’t refuse. I think John enjoyed his time here, but they just made him an offer he couldn’t refuse."

Hendrick’s departure creates a third vacancy on Pough’s coaching staff. He declined to renew quarterbacks coach Jonathan Pry’s contract following the season and wide receivers coach Tony Elliott accepted an offer to coach at Furman University two weeks ago.

Pough said he hopes to fill those vacancies in time for the start of spring practice March 24 and is not worried about the potential of losing them down the road.

"We’ll continue to hire top notch guys, guys that other people want," Pough said. "As long as that happens, we have either got to do one or two things. We’ve got to step up to the plate and try to find ways to keep them or expect that they’ll continue to be lured away. But I think you get the best out of them while they’re here and just continue to hire great people."

http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2008/03/03/sports/scsu...ba3ddbb947721957.txt

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Originally posted by Pitbull:

quote:

"We’ll continue to hire top notch guys, guys that other people want," Pough said. "As long as that happens, we have either got to do one or two things. We’ve got to step up to the plate and try to find ways to keep them or expect that they’ll continue to be lured away. But I think you get the best out of them while they’re here and just continue to hire great people."

I hope summa y'all in the O'Burg are actually listening to what your Coach is trying to say to y'all ... And work with the Brutha to try to help keep summa all that talent that's gradually making its way elsewhere.

Hendricks was great for SCSU but he is not the only great defensive coordinator. We will continue to dominate, regardless....

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Originally posted by IAM4SCSU:
Hendricks was great for SCSU but he is not the only great defensive coordinator. We will continue to dominate, regardless....

Agreed!

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Originally posted by IAM4SCSU:
We will continue to dominate, regardless....

Continue? When did yall start dominating

This is a big loss for SCSU and the MEAC. Folks better start paying people.

quote:

Originally posted by RA:

quote:

Originally posted by IAM4SCSU:
We will continue to dominate, regardless....

Continue? When did yall start dominating

This is a big loss for SCSU and the MEAC. Folks better start paying people.

When it comes to pay can a 1AA administration compete with a 1A program if they really want that particular coach.

Now he's on a bigger stage and if he's successful there another program will want him eventually maybe as a coordinator.

And if he's a great coordinator there maybe a head coaching.......

quote:

Hendricks was great for SCSU but he is not the only great defensive coordinator. We will continue to dominate come in second, regardless....

Maybe we'll just continue to dominate the Aggies along with every other team.

I thinks it say more about the type of program SCSU has if bigger schools are alway trying to hire away our Coaches. If they weren't any good, no one would want them.

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Originally posted by TooLiveThunderBro.:
I thinks it say more about the type of program SCSU has if bigger schools are alway trying to hire away our Coaches. If they weren't any good, no one would want them.

I agree. I don't think pay was an issue. Hendricks is following a natural progression. He was coaching in D1-A before....then he got a head coaching at D-II Benedict....then a DC job at SCSU....now the next logical step is to move to a D1A program. Some of you folks are reading too much into this move.....

We will be alright...We will find another coach....just like we found Hendricks....

At least you are hiring coaches that other schools want. IMO, it's a good problem.

quote:

Originally posted by Pitbull:

quote:

Originally posted by TooLiveThunderBro.:
I thinks it say more about the type of program SCSU has if bigger schools are alway trying to hire away our Coaches. If they weren't any good, no one would want them.

I agree. I don't think pay was an issue. Hendricks is following a natural progression. He was coaching in D1-A before....then he got a head coaching at D-II Benedict....then a DC job at SCSU....now the next logical step is to move to a D1A program. Some of you folks are reading too much into this move.....

We will be alright...We will find another coach....just like we found Hendricks....

Translation, we don't have a f***ing clue what will happen next.

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Originally posted by Bison 4 Life:

quote:

Originally posted by Pitbull:

quote:

Originally posted by TooLiveThunderBro.:
I thinks it say more about the type of program SCSU has if bigger schools are alway trying to hire away our Coaches. If they weren't any good, no one would want them.

I agree. I don't think pay was an issue. Hendricks is following a natural progression. He was coaching in D1-A before....then he got a head coaching at D-II Benedict....then a DC job at SCSU....now the next logical step is to move to a D1A program. Some of you folks are reading too much into this move.....

We will be alright...We will find another coach....just like we found Hendricks....

Translation, we don't have a f***ing clue what will happen next.

Funny, we were in the same positions last year and hired Hendricks. Now people think the sky is falling in Orangeburg. Coach Pough will hire a great coach again this year, no doubt.

quote:

Originally posted by Bison 4 Life:

quote:

Originally posted by Pitbull:

quote:

Originally posted by TooLiveThunderBro.:
I thinks it say more about the type of program SCSU has if bigger schools are alway trying to hire away our Coaches. If they weren't any good, no one would want them.

I agree. I don't think pay was an issue. Hendricks is following a natural progression. He was coaching in D1-A before....then he got a head coaching at D-II Benedict....then a DC job at SCSU....now the next logical step is to move to a D1A program. Some of you folks are reading too much into this move.....

We will be alright...We will find another coach....just like we found Hendricks....

Translation, we don't have a f***ing clue what will happen next.

It's obvious what will happen next...we will find another coach.....Maybe Moses is ready to come back home...Hmmmmmm...

Maybe Wells is ready to come back to O-Burg and beat Bennedict this year.

quote:

Originally posted by RA:

quote:

Originally posted by IAM4SCSU:
We will continue to dominate, regardless....

Continue? When did yall start dominating

This is a big loss for SCSU and the MEAC. Folks better start paying people.

FCS pay is not gonna compete with FBS pay.

The coaching business is like a revolving door. Coaches are always coming or going for different reason. I sure coach Pough will find someone to replace the coaches that left with quality people.