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COLUMBIA (WACH) – Saturday was Press & Pictures Day for the 2010 South Carolina State Football Team.

A chance for the media to get an in-depth look at what SC State is bringing to the table this year.

After winning back to back MEAC titles, it’s clear the team is ready to achieve a national championship.

But can it happen?

Head Coach Buddy Pough and the 2010 Bulldogs have 14 starters returning, including their entire offensive line and their whole linebacker corps.

Also returning is Senior Quarterback and MEAC Pre-season Offensive Player of the Year Malcolm Long.

“My approach to the offense this year is to become a better leader and get the team in the right position, right plays, at the right time in the game,” said Long.

At the linebacker position, All-American David Erby, Julius Wilkerson and Donovan Richard make-up what’s being called the, “Three-headed monster.”

Adding in former All-MEAC stand-out linebacker Marshall McFadden, who missed the 2009 season due to injury, should give S.C. State added depth at the position.

“After the loss we suffered last year, you know I’m on the sideline knowing that I could have played and I didn’t, so with that being said, you know I think we can take it to the next step,” said McFadden.

“We are smarter, we are older, we are more experienced so I think we will do better than we did last year,” said Erby.

But 2010 also brings its challenges.

Coach Pough must find replacements for ten starters including running back Will Ford and receiver Tre Young, both key figures in the Bulldogs MEAC Title run last season.

"You know to have both those guys gone at the same time it's a little bit scary, you know we like the guys we have coming back…whether or not we can do it right now remains to be seen," said Pough.

And the start of the 2010 season brings with it another challenge.

The Bulldogs open September 4^th at Georgia Tech.

"It's going to be an exciting game. It's always exciting to play a school within our division. You know hopefully we can come out on top," said Long.

But Coach Pough said right now the attention is on fall camp.

"Right now you are really just trying to make it through two–a-days and all that kind of stuff so if we can get our team going and get into the actual preparations, we'll start thinking about GA Tech," said Pough.          

SC State’s first home game is September 11^th against Mississippi Valley State.