Chennis Berry Previews SC State’s Trip to South Carolina
South Carolina State head coach Chennis Berry met with the media Monday to look ahead to the Bulldogs’ Week 2 clash with South Carolina. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, streaming on ESPN+ and SEC Network+.
Opening Thoughts
“It’s a great day to be a Bulldog. First and foremost, go Dawgs,” Berry began. “It’s a great day to find a way to go 1-0. As we sit here on Labor Day, 50 percent of the teams in America are 0-1, but there’s another 50 percent that are 1-0. We’re just grateful to be 1-0.”
Berry praised his team’s resilience in their season-opening win over Wofford.
“Super proud of our young men. They showed resilience throughout the whole game. One thing about our Bulldog football team is that we’re going to play hard for 60 minutes,” he said. “Our defense played lights out… they never even reached the red zone. Offensively, we had long drives — 19 plays, 17 plays, 15 plays — and dominated time of possession.”
Still, Berry pointed out the need for improvement.
“When I looked back at the 91 plays we ran, I counted 18 miscues that had nothing to do with the opponent. It was 100 percent us — footwork and fundamentals. That’s the big emphasis this week as we prepare for a really, really good University of South Carolina football team.”
On the Value of the Wofford Win
Berry said the victory helped his team bond.
“It’s huge. It brings your team together. There was a lot of ebb and flow in that game, but our young men stayed the course. We talk about ‘holding the rope’ — before the game I asked, ‘Who’s got my back?’ and they said, ‘We got your back.’ That brought us closer together.”
He added that even players lower on the depth chart stepped up when given chances.
“It really gets the young men believing, especially with so many newcomers and unknowns. That’ll help us as we try to go 1-0 every week.”
On the Game-Winning Drive
Berry highlighted his offense’s poise in crunch time.
“They never pointed fingers. They stayed the course. I tell our offense all the time — the pressure isn’t on us, it’s on the defense to stop us. That’s the mindset.”
He credited preparation.
“We practice situational football more than anything. I tell them all the time, the only difference between practice and game day is more people watching. The separation is in the preparation.”
That confidence showed in their final drive.
“We started on our own 26-yard line and marched down the field, converting big third and fourth downs. To see them stay positive throughout — I’m very proud of their resilience.”
Facing South Carolina
Berry acknowledged the challenge of playing a Power Four program.
“The mission doesn’t change. We’re trying to come out 1-0,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s football. But they have a 6-foot-4, 250-pound quarterback back there and some of the top players in America. They’ve probably got the number one defense in the country. That’s why fundamentals and technique will be critical.”
He added that his team is embracing the opportunity.
“It’s gonna be fun. It’s the home opener for them, a great atmosphere. The Gamecocks will be there, but trust and believe the Bulldogs will be in the building too.”
On LaNorris Sellers
Asked if SC State has anyone to mimic USC quarterback LaNorris Sellers in practice, Berry laughed.
“There’s not many of those people in America. When God was creating people, he didn’t create many 6-foot-4, 250-pound quarterbacks,” he said. “But our defensive staff will come up with a plan. We respect Coach Beamer’s team, but we’ll be ready as well.”
Relationship with Shane Beamer
Berry said he and Beamer have built a mutual respect.
“Coach Beamer and I are cool, man. I got a chance to speak at South Carolina’s high school event and it was really good. We talk, and I respect what he does with his program. I’m sure he respects what we do here as well.”
Returning to Columbia
Berry reflected on what it means to bring his team back to Columbia.
“It’s gonna be pretty cool. We’re just 45 minutes away, so to play at Williams-Brice in front of 80–90,000 people will be exciting. They’ll have the towels waving, but the garnet and blue will be in the building too. We’ll be ready to compete for 60 minutes.”
On Past Experience Against Power Four Programs
Berry has been in this spot before.
“As offensive coordinator at Southern, we faced Georgia when Mark Richt was still there. I’m used to playing up. At the end of the day, it’s football. There’s no special coverage or front they run. It’s ball. We’ve got to execute for 60 minutes and put our guys in position to make play
