Head coach Brenda Frese welcomed former professional athlete Keith Pough to the staff as the team’s interim Assistant Director of Basketball Performance in the fall of 2018.
Pough, who interned with the program in the 2016-17 season, will oversee the Terrapins' strength, fitness and nutrition regimens on a daily basis.
"We are thrilled for Keith to earn this interim position for basketball performance,” Frese said. “No one has worked harder. He embodies all of the virtues of our program each and every day and our players love working with him. He has a ton of energy and passion and he has put our team in the best position to be successful. We are excited for what lies ahead."
Pough is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is also a certified Level-1 Sports Performance Coach from United States Weightlifting Association, CPT by the NCCPT and is certified in Applied Functional Science by Gray Institute
As a four-year captain and starting linebacker for Howard University’s football team, Pough recorded 350 tackles during his career, set multiple FCS national records for tackles for loss in a season (29), game (6), and career (72.5).
In addition to setting records, Pough was a three-time SBN Sports Black College All-American, three-time Phil Steele Publications Post Season First Team All-American, three-time Walter Camp Football Foundation FCS First Team All-American and was named to the AP FCS All-American team three times.
Pough earned three All-MEAC First Team selections, was twice the conference leader in tackles, and led the league in tackles for loss in three seasons as well.
In 2010, Pough was named the College Football Performance Award Elite Linebacker of the Year. That same season, he led the nation in tackles for loss (29), tackles for loss per game (2.56) and was the national leader in tackles for loss yardage (148). He was named to the 2011 Fabulous Fifty FCS All American Team and was named the 2012 Pre-Season and Post Season MEAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Crowning his senior season, Pough was played in the 88th East West Shrine Bowl Game. He was named the defensive captain for the west team and was also the recipient of the 2013 Pat Tillman Character Award. Pough would later go on to play in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the Cleveland Browns.
A native of Neeses, S.C., Pough earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Howard University in 2013. He is an initiate of the Founding Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
