Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Football Friday - Long is WVU's Mr. Stealth
November 16, 2018 07:50 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Who is the best linebacker in college football? Dana Holgorsen believes David Long Jr.'s name deserves to be entered into that discussion.
But for now, West Virginia's eighth-year coach said he will just settle for his junior linebacker getting a little more love from the people who vote for player of the week in the Big 12.
"I don't know how we're not looking at him being national player of the week on a lot of different things, and I don't think he's been Big 12 Player of the Week this year," Holgorsen noted earlier this week. "How can that guy not be Big 12 Player of the Week?"
That's an excellent question, coach.
Last week, Long Jr. certainly had a stat line that was player-of-the-week worthy - three sacks, four tackles for losses and three pass breakups in West Virginia's 47-10 victory over TCU.
Or what about the Baylor game when he had seven tackles, two TFLs and a sack in the Mountaineers' 44-point victory?
Or what about Kansas when Long Jr. had 10 tackles and a sack in helping West Virginia limit the Jayhawks to just 286 total yards?
Or Texas Tech when he logged 15 tackles, including three for losses, in West Virginia's eight-point victory at Texas Tech?
Or what about Kansas State when his team-high nine tackles, three tackles for losses, two sacks and a forced fumble kept the Wildcats from crossing the 50-yard line for the entire first half and limited them to just two field goals?
Or Youngstown State when he made 10 tackles and a pair of tackles for losses in a little more than three quarters of work, or his team-high nine tackles and a TFL in West Virginia's season-opening victory over Tennessee?
As you can see, Long Jr. has done it all season long – and he's been doing it while flying under the radar.
His nickname should probably be Mr. Stealth.
"We're 10 games into this thing, and he does the same thing every week," Holgorsen pointed out. "You look up his stats and he has 10 to 12 tackles and five tackles for loss and a sack, or two or three like last week. He makes every play, and he affects every play."
With games coming up against offensive juggernauts Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, Long Jr.'s stellar individual play could once again get overshadowed by what other teams do to West Virginia's entire defense, which is what happened at Texas Tech when a scrambling Red Raider team got most of its yardage and points after the outcome was already decided.
There is a very good chance Long Jr. could be named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year at the end of this month and own the distinction of not being named its player of the week a single time.
How often has that happened?
Can you name a more impactful defensive player in the Big 12 this year who has put together a season that matches Long Jr.?
You can't.
The players listed above Long Jr. in tackles per game, Kansas' Joe Dineen Jr. and Oklahoma's Kenneth Murray and Curtis Bolton, play on defenses ranked sixth and seventh respectively in the league in points allowed.
Long Jr. plays on a defense ranked second in that category.
There is just one pass rusher in the conference averaging more sacks per game than Long Jr. – Oklahoma State's Jordan Brailford. The Cowboys this week are tied with Texas Tech for eighth in points allowed and are also eighth in total defense.
Long Jr.'s 17 ½ tackles for losses are two more than Brailford's despite playing one less game.
Therefore, there isn't a player in the Big 12 who comes close to matching Mr. Stealth's overall production. You could probably expand that beyond the Big 12 as well.
But the people who really know – opposing coaches – have certainly taken notice of Long Jr. Veteran defensive coordinator Tony Gibson said teams are beginning to use formations that try to take his play-making abilities out of the equation.
"It started with Baylor," Gibson explained. "Baylor did a lot of FSL (formation to the sideline). Texas ran a lot of it and TCU did some, too. So, they're trying to pull him out of the box, and we've had to make adjustments to get him back involved.
"People know who No. 11 is, and if they don't, then they obviously don't watch film," Gibson added.
Offensive guru Holgorsen has been studying Long Jr.'s game and practice tapes for four years now and he considers him one of the best linebackers he's ever watched – a near impossibility to consistently block.
"His pad level is unreal; he runs underneath blocks or around blocks or through blocks or gets off blocks," Holgorsen said. "He's the best linebacker in the country, and people need to take notice of him."
Teammate Kenny Bigelow Jr., who spent five years playing with all those five-star defensive dudes at USC, puts Long Jr. right there with the Trojans' Cameron Smith and Su'a Cravens as the best he's ever been around.
"Cam's a helluva tackler and he's a great football player, but David has a football mind that I haven't been around since probably Su'a," Bigelow Jr. said earlier this week. "Su'a Cravens … his football mind and IQ for the game is out of this world and David Long plays just like him."
And while the rest of the country – and those voting for Big 12 player of the week – have struggled to remember Long Jr.'s name, you can rest assured Oklahoma State certainly knows all about him.
In last year's game against the Cowboys in Morgantown, Long Jr. had 18 tackles of which seven were for losses. He probably should have just huddled with the Oklahoma State offense to save time.
"I tell people all the time his heart is bigger than he is," Bigelow Jr. explained. "He is never going to back down from anybody in any situation, and that's what makes him such a great backer.
"He has that determination; he has that want-to; he has that grit about him that is tough-nosed; a hard-edged guy. He's an Ohio guy so that says a lot about him right there," Bigelow Jr. concluded.
You can also say he's Mr. Stealth.
But for now, West Virginia's eighth-year coach said he will just settle for his junior linebacker getting a little more love from the people who vote for player of the week in the Big 12.
"I don't know how we're not looking at him being national player of the week on a lot of different things, and I don't think he's been Big 12 Player of the Week this year," Holgorsen noted earlier this week. "How can that guy not be Big 12 Player of the Week?"
That's an excellent question, coach.
Last week, Long Jr. certainly had a stat line that was player-of-the-week worthy - three sacks, four tackles for losses and three pass breakups in West Virginia's 47-10 victory over TCU.
Or what about the Baylor game when he had seven tackles, two TFLs and a sack in the Mountaineers' 44-point victory?
Or what about Kansas when Long Jr. had 10 tackles and a sack in helping West Virginia limit the Jayhawks to just 286 total yards?
Or Texas Tech when he logged 15 tackles, including three for losses, in West Virginia's eight-point victory at Texas Tech?
Or what about Kansas State when his team-high nine tackles, three tackles for losses, two sacks and a forced fumble kept the Wildcats from crossing the 50-yard line for the entire first half and limited them to just two field goals?
Or Youngstown State when he made 10 tackles and a pair of tackles for losses in a little more than three quarters of work, or his team-high nine tackles and a TFL in West Virginia's season-opening victory over Tennessee?
As you can see, Long Jr. has done it all season long – and he's been doing it while flying under the radar.
His nickname should probably be Mr. Stealth.
"We're 10 games into this thing, and he does the same thing every week," Holgorsen pointed out. "You look up his stats and he has 10 to 12 tackles and five tackles for loss and a sack, or two or three like last week. He makes every play, and he affects every play."
With games coming up against offensive juggernauts Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, Long Jr.'s stellar individual play could once again get overshadowed by what other teams do to West Virginia's entire defense, which is what happened at Texas Tech when a scrambling Red Raider team got most of its yardage and points after the outcome was already decided.
There is a very good chance Long Jr. could be named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year at the end of this month and own the distinction of not being named its player of the week a single time.
How often has that happened?
Can you name a more impactful defensive player in the Big 12 this year who has put together a season that matches Long Jr.?
You can't.
The players listed above Long Jr. in tackles per game, Kansas' Joe Dineen Jr. and Oklahoma's Kenneth Murray and Curtis Bolton, play on defenses ranked sixth and seventh respectively in the league in points allowed.
Long Jr. plays on a defense ranked second in that category.
There is just one pass rusher in the conference averaging more sacks per game than Long Jr. – Oklahoma State's Jordan Brailford. The Cowboys this week are tied with Texas Tech for eighth in points allowed and are also eighth in total defense.
Long Jr.'s 17 ½ tackles for losses are two more than Brailford's despite playing one less game.
Therefore, there isn't a player in the Big 12 who comes close to matching Mr. Stealth's overall production. You could probably expand that beyond the Big 12 as well.
But the people who really know – opposing coaches – have certainly taken notice of Long Jr. Veteran defensive coordinator Tony Gibson said teams are beginning to use formations that try to take his play-making abilities out of the equation.
"It started with Baylor," Gibson explained. "Baylor did a lot of FSL (formation to the sideline). Texas ran a lot of it and TCU did some, too. So, they're trying to pull him out of the box, and we've had to make adjustments to get him back involved.
"People know who No. 11 is, and if they don't, then they obviously don't watch film," Gibson added.
Offensive guru Holgorsen has been studying Long Jr.'s game and practice tapes for four years now and he considers him one of the best linebackers he's ever watched – a near impossibility to consistently block.
"His pad level is unreal; he runs underneath blocks or around blocks or through blocks or gets off blocks," Holgorsen said. "He's the best linebacker in the country, and people need to take notice of him."
Teammate Kenny Bigelow Jr., who spent five years playing with all those five-star defensive dudes at USC, puts Long Jr. right there with the Trojans' Cameron Smith and Su'a Cravens as the best he's ever been around.
"Cam's a helluva tackler and he's a great football player, but David has a football mind that I haven't been around since probably Su'a," Bigelow Jr. said earlier this week. "Su'a Cravens … his football mind and IQ for the game is out of this world and David Long plays just like him."
And while the rest of the country – and those voting for Big 12 player of the week – have struggled to remember Long Jr.'s name, you can rest assured Oklahoma State certainly knows all about him.
In last year's game against the Cowboys in Morgantown, Long Jr. had 18 tackles of which seven were for losses. He probably should have just huddled with the Oklahoma State offense to save time.
"I tell people all the time his heart is bigger than he is," Bigelow Jr. explained. "He is never going to back down from anybody in any situation, and that's what makes him such a great backer.
"He has that determination; he has that want-to; he has that grit about him that is tough-nosed; a hard-edged guy. He's an Ohio guy so that says a lot about him right there," Bigelow Jr. concluded.
You can also say he's Mr. Stealth.
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