South Carolina State held its first scrimmage of preseason camp Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium and Willie Jeffries Field.

The first-team offense scored on its first play as Gaffney's Tyler Smith took a handoff 75 yards for a touchdown. The redshirt freshman would score twice as SC State had four rushing touchdowns on the day.

"We got some pretty good freshman running backs," SC State head coach Buddy Pough said following the scrimmage. "Even the guys we have returning are freshmen, guys like (Tyler) Smith and Josh Shaw. We have a lot of good players (at the position), possibly the best group we've ever had."

Quarterback Corey Fields added two touchdown passes, both to Justin Smith-Brown, to close out the scoring for the offense.

"Corey is the guys that puts the offense on track," Pough said. "He knows what he's doing and gives us an opportunity to have a shot at winning. It's a pleasure having a grown up in charge."

 Fields returned to Orangeburg as a fifth-year senior after injuring his shoulder last season. He's expected to be the starter when SC State opens the season against Jackson State in Atlanta as part of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge.

"(Corey) has done a great job of adapting and picking up what we're doing (on offense)," SC State offensive coordinator Kevin Magouirk said. "He's got that 'it' factor where guys gravitate toward him and want to follow him."

Fields said he was overall pleased with his performance but knows there is still more work to be done.

"As an offense, we were able to fly around with the football," Fields said of the first scrimmage. "We had some mistakes, some fumbles, but overall, it was a good day. I know what (Coach) Pough expects of me and how he wants the offense to go. My focus is to get everyone on the same page."