South Carolina State University head coach Buddy Pough has performed many heroic acts during his coaching career. But he recently performed another one off the field.
A coach and four students were injured after their bus was hit by a tractor-trailer headed north on US-301 after leaving a football camp hosted by SC State on Thursday, according to News 19. The students had minor injuries and were taken to a local hospital.
Lake City Athletic Director and head baseball coach Matt Apicella took the time out to recognize Pough for being there in a time of distress.
“I can promise you that nobody will ever say a bad word in my presence about Coach Buddy Pough from SC State or Coach Shane Beamer from USC,” Apicella tweeted. “After the accident yesterday, Coach Pough personally stayed with the kids until parents and school officials could make the hour-long drive and he dispatched staff members to the other hospital to do the same. Coach Beamer called from vacation out of state to check on everyone. FIRST CLASS MEN and we will never forget those gestures. Real souls are revealed during adversity and I will always respect those men for their actions.”
Two students of the students are from Lake City High School; the others attend J. Paul Truluck Creative Arts and Science Magnet School, according to the report. Authorities have not released details of the coach’s condition as he was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Columbia. The accident is still under investigation by South Carolina Highway Patrol.
South Carolina State University said in a statement that it sends thoughts and prayers for the victims of the accident.
Coach Pough may get his 150th football victory as a head coach this season, but his actions once again showed why he’ll be remembered as a hall-of-fame person as well as a head coach.
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