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Chennis Berry Proves Naysayers Wrong Again

Dec 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; South Carolina State Bulldogs head coach Chennis Berry celebrates after a victory over the Prairie View A&M Panthers in quadruple overtime of the Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Chennis Berry Proves Naysayers Wrong Again

Originally posted on HBCUs on SI | By Kyle Mosley | Last updated Dec 14, 2025 1:51 PM ET

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HOUSTON — A few seasons ago, shortly after I interviewed Chennis Berry following his first HBCU Division II national championship at Benedict College, I did what journalists who truly believe in coaches sometimes do: I made calls and spoke about him on radio show appearances.

I attempted to connect Berry with decision-makers who either had head coaching vacancies or would soon need one.

One response stood out.

“He’s not bad for a small-college coach.”

That same decision-maker hired a coach who has since struggled at the position.

Elsewhere, the rumor mill churned. One athletic director reportedly dismissed Berry as more “preacher” than coach.

On legendary Ralph Cooper's KCOH radio show in Houston, when his name came up as a potential HBCU Division I difference-maker, another coach labeled him a “glorified high school coach.” I rebuffed the inference.

They were all wrong.

Today we call him an HBCU National Championship Head Coach!

Berry would have turned those programs around. We will never know. South Carolina State does—and benefits because of it. Credit belongs to former Bulldogs head coach and current athletic director, Buddy Pough, who recognized leadership when others minimized it and brought Berry to Orangeburg. Good thing Pough didn't look for NFL experience to lead the young men.

A Mindset Forged Long Before The Moment

As the Bulldogs took the field Saturday in the Cricket Celebration Bowl, Berry’s message was concise and resolute.

“MINDSET. Have it on your mind. Sixty minutes. Last start. Sixty minutes. Rain, sleet, or snow, the mailman gotta go to work. Let’s get ready to go.”

What followed was a coaching masterpiece.

South Carolina State trailed by 21 points. Berry lost his starting quarterback before halftime. At no point did he lose control of the moment—something he had emphasized repeatedly in the days leading up to the game.

At halftime, Berry and his staff adjusted. He entrusted backup quarterback Ryan Stubblefield with full command of the offense. Offensive coordinator Johnathan Williams shifted into attack mode, putting the ball in Jordan Smith’s hands and forcing Prairie View A&M to defend every blade of grass.

South Carolina State outscored Prairie View A&M 40 to 17 after halftime.

History followed.

A Second Half For The Ages

The Bulldogs’ rally from a 21-point deficit was the largest comeback in Celebration Bowl history. It may also stand as one of the greatest second-half performances ever by an HBCU program in a championship setting.

That does not happen without conviction—by a head coach secure enough to trust his preparation, his staff, and his players.

Since 2021, Berry’s teams—Benedict and South Carolina State—have not lost a conference game. After entering the HBCU Division I ranks in 2024, he dropped early games against Florida A&M and Jackson State. He learned.

This season, South Carolina State defeated Bethune-Cookman and Prairie View A&M. Berry now stands 2–2 against the SWAC, the same conference where he sharpened his leadership skills as an assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Southern University.

The growth is evident. The results are undeniable.

More Than A Trophy

Saturday’s victory resonated on multiple levels. It was tactical. It was emotional. It was earned.

Berry’s confidence—in his staff, in his players, and in decades of preparation—never wavered. No one should ever question his “1–0” philosophy again.

His journey stands as a beacon for anyone still waiting on opportunity. Rejection is not the end. Gratitude matters. Mentorship matters. Faith can light the way when doors stay closed longer than expected.

Berry captured that truth best in his postgame remarks.

“I’m just grateful for people believing in me because a lot of people told me no,” he said. “I was an assistant coach for 26 years and got an opportunity to be a head coach, to be able to cement my legacy, man. That’s what I love about Coach Pough. I’m just grateful for them believing in me.

“I’m a praying man, and I just give God all the glory because I know the journey we had to go through to get here today. If God is for you, man, who can be against you?”