Rocky Long
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1950)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Rocky Long
| image = MountainWestMD-2016-0727-RockyLong.png
| alt =
| caption = Long at 2016 Mountain West Media Days
| current_title = Defensive analyst
| current_team = Fort Lewis
| current_conference = RMAC
| current_record =
| contract =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|1|27|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Provo, Utah, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = University of New Mexico (BEd)
| player_years1 = 1969–1971
| player_team1 = New Mexico
| player_years2 = 1972–1973
| player_team2 = BC Lions
| player_years3 = 1974
| player_team3 = Detroit Wheels
| player_years4 = 1975–1976
| player_team4 = BC Lions
| player_positions = Defensive back, quarterback
| coach_years1 = 1972–1973
| coach_team1 = New Mexico (GA)
| coach_years2 = 1974–1975
| coach_team2 = Eldorado HS (NM) (assistant)
| coach_years3 = 1978
| coach_team3 = New Mexico (OB)
| coach_years4 = 1979–1980
| coach_team4 = New Mexico (DB)
| coach_years5 = 1981–1985
| coach_team5 = Wyoming (DC/DB)
| coach_years6 = 1986–1987
| coach_team6 = BC Lions (LB)
| coach_years7 = 1988–1990
| coach_team7 = TCU (DB)
| coach_years8 = 1991–1995
| coach_team8 = Oregon State (DC/DB)
| coach_years9 = 1996–1997
| coach_team9 = UCLA (DC)
| coach_years10 = 1998–2008
| coach_team10 = New Mexico
| coach_years11 = 2009–2010
| coach_team11 = San Diego State (DC)
| coach_years12 = 2011–2019
| coach_team12 = San Diego State
| coach_years13 = 2020–2022
| coach_team13 = New Mexico (DC/LB)
| coach_years14 = 2023
| coach_team14 = Syracuse (DC)
| coach_years15 = 2024–present
| coach_team15 = Fort Lewis (analyst)
| overall_record = 146–107
| bowl_record = 5–9
| tournament_record =
| championships = 3 MW (2012, 2015, 2016)
| awards =
; As a coach
- 3× MW Coach of the Year (2002, 2012, 2015)
; As a player
- CFL Western All-Star (1977)
| coaching_records =
}}
Roderick John Long Jr. (born January 27, 1950) is an American college football coach and former player currently working as a defensive analyst at Fort Lewis College. He was previously the defensive coordinator at Syracuse and New Mexico. He was a head coach at New Mexico and then San Diego State. He played professionally with BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Detroit Wheels of World Football League (WFL).
Long is known for his successful adaptation of a modified 3–3–5 defensive scheme.{{cite news |last1=Alandt |first1=Anthony |last2=Miller |first2=Wyatt |title=THE GODFATHER: Syracuse's new DC pioneered its go-to defensive set |url=https://dailyorange.com/2023/08/long-pioneered-syracuses-go-to-defensive-set/ |access-date=31 August 2023 |work=The Daily Orange |date=31 August 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Boyd |first1=Ian |title=The Aztec defender |url=https://www.footballstudyhall.com/2017/7/5/15893384/the-aztec-defender-san-diego-state-rocky-long-3-3-5 |access-date=31 August 2023 |work=Football Study Hall |date=5 July 2017 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Jack |title=Origin story of the 3-3-5 defense employed by ASU and SDSU |url=https://247sports.com/college/arizona-state/article/origin-story-of-the-3-3-5-defense-employed-by-asu-and-sdsu-121859476/ |access-date=31 August 2023 |work=247Sports |date=September 14, 2018 |language=en}}
Playing career
Long was the starting quarterback for the New Mexico Lobos football team from 1969 to 1971, recording consecutive winning seasons and earning player-of-the-year honors in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 1971. His professional career began with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1972, with which he played 68 games in total. In 1974, he departed to the Detroit Wheels of the World Football League (WFL). That year, he intercepted three passes for 38 return yards, and returned 20 punts for 217 yards and 14 kickoffs for 402 yards. He returned to the Lions for three years and had one of his best years in 1975, when he intercepted a team high eight passes for 88 yards. A Western All-Star in 1977, Long also led the team in punt returns in his last three years, and is still the fourth leading all-time returner, with 1946 yards on 192 punt returns, with one touchdown.
Coaching career
Long began developing his version of the 3–3–5 defensive scheme during his stint as the defensive coordinator at Oregon State.
Long returned to New Mexico as the head football coach on December 20, 1997. His overall won-loss record was 65–69 in 11 seasons. His 65 wins are the most of any head coach in program history. Long surpassed Roy W. Johnson's mark of 41 wins during the 2005 season.
Long led the Lobos to three straight bowl games from 2003 to 2005, a first in program history. The Lobos were bowl-eligible for seven straight seasons, from 2001 to 2007, another program record. This streak continued into the 2007 season as the Lobos accepted a bid to the New Mexico Bowl, where Long garnered his bowl win with a victory over the Nevada Wolf Pack.
After an 11-season career, Long resigned on November 17, 2008, two days after the Lobos' regular game season ended. Long cited that he was not the right person to lead the program to newer heights. He added that he had no plans of retirement, and that he wanted to continue to coach as a coordinator.{{cite web | last=Watson | first=Graham | title=Long unexpectedly resigns as New Mexico coach | website=ESPN.com | date=2008-11-18 | url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=3709383 | access-date=2024-12-27}} In 2011, he was promoted to head coach at San Diego State after two seasons as their defensive coordinator.
In 2020, Long resigned from San Diego State, and Brady Hoke was named as his replacement.{{cite news|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/story/2020-01-08/san-diego-state-aztecs-football-head-coach-rocky-long-coaching-brady-hoke|title=Aztecs' Rocky Long to resign; Brady Hoke will be head coach|first=Kirk|last=Kenney|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|date=January 8, 2020|access-date=January 8, 2020}} He left San Diego State with 81 wins, second all time in wins behind Don Coryell.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/san-diego-state-coach-rocky-long-retires-from-position-brady-hoke-takes-over-aztecs-program/|title=San Diego State coach Rocky Long retires from position, Brady Hoke takes over Aztecs' program|website=CBSSports.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08}} Soon after his resignation from SDSU, the University of New Mexico announced Long would be returning to the Lobos to take over as their defensive coordinator under new coach Danny Gonzales, a former player and assistant coach under Long at UNM as well as SDSU.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/former-san-diego-state-coach-rocky-long-returns-to-new-mexico-to-serve-as-lobos-dc/|title = Former San Diego State coach Rocky Long returns to New Mexico to serve as Lobos DC}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1413758/rocky-long-returning-to-lobos-as-defensive-coordinator.html|title = Rocky Long returning to Lobos as defensive coordinator - Albuquerque Journal}}
In 2022, Long was hired at Syracuse University as the defensive coordinator under Dino Babers.{{cite news |title=Defensive Innovator Rocky Long Named New 'Cuse DC |url=https://cuse.com/news/2022/12/17/football-defensive-innovator-rocky-long-named-new-cuse-dc |access-date=5 May 2023 |work=Syracuse University Athletics |date=2022-12-17 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Wright |first1=Rick |title=Rocky Long leaving UNM football for Syracuse |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2558240/long-leaving-unm-for-syracuse.html |access-date=6 May 2023 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=December 17, 2022}}
Personal life
Long and his wife, Debby, have two daughters, Roxanne and Hannah, who are also coaches. Roxanne is the former women's basketball program head coach at Rogers State University in Claremore, Oklahoma,{{cite web|title=Rogers St.|url=http://rsuhillcats.com/profile.asp?playerID=752|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619225258/http://www.rsuhillcats.com/profile.asp?playerID=752|archive-date=June 19, 2013}} and Hannah is the
women's volleyball program head coach at Queens University of Charlotte.{{cite web|title=2016 Women's Volleyball Coaching Staff|url=http://www.queensathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=642&path=wvball}}
Head coaching record
{{CFB Yearly Record Start|type=coach|conf=yes|bowl=yes|poll=both}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = New Mexico Lobos
| conf = Western Athletic Conference
| startyear = 1998
| endyear = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 1998
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 3–9
| conference = 1–7
| confstanding = 7th (Pacific)
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = New Mexico Lobos
| conf = Mountain West Conference
| startyear = 1999
| endyear = 2008
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 1999
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 4–7
| conference = 3–4
| confstanding = T–5th
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2000
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 5–7
| conference = 3–4
| confstanding = T–5th
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2001
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 6–5
| conference = 4–3
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowl = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2002
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 7–7
| conference = 5–2
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowl = yes
| bowlname = Las Vegas
| bowloutcome = L
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2003
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 8–5
| conference = 5–2
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname = Las Vegas
| bowloutcome = L
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2004
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 7–5
| conference = 5–2
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname = Emerald
| bowloutcome = L
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2005
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 6–5
| conference = 4–4
| confstanding = T–4th
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2006
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 6–7
| conference = 4–4
| confstanding = 5th
| bowlname = New Mexico
| bowloutcome = L
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2007
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 9–4
| conference = 5–3
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname = New Mexico
| bowloutcome = W
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| year = 2008
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 4–8
| conference = 2–6
| confstanding = 7th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 65–69
| confrecord = 40–34
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = San Diego State Aztecs
| conf = Mountain West Conference
| startyear = 2011
| endyear = 2019
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2011
| name = San Diego State
| overall = 8–5
| conference = 4–3
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname = New Orleans
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2012
| name = San Diego State
| overall = 9–4
| conference = 7–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| bowlname = Poinsettia
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2013
| name = San Diego State
| overall = 8–5
| conference = 6–2
| confstanding = 2nd (West)
| bowlname = Famous Idaho Potato
| bowloutcome = W
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = division
| year = 2014
| name = San Diego State
| overall = 7–6
| conference = 5–3
| confstanding = T–1st (West)
| bowlname = Poinsettia
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2015
| name = San Diego State
| overall = 11–3
| conference = 8–0
| confstanding = 1st (West)
| bowlname = Hawaii
| bowloutcome = W
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2016
| name = San Diego State
| overall = 11–3
| conference = 6–2
| confstanding = 1st (West)
| bowlname = Las Vegas
| bowloutcome = W
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 25
| ranking2 = 25
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2017
| name = San Diego State
| overall = 10–3
| conference = 6–2
| confstanding = 2nd (West)
| bowlname = Armed Forces
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2018
| name = San Diego State
| overall = 7–6
| conference = 4–4
| confstanding = 4th (West)
| bowlname = Frisco
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = division
| year = 2019
| name = San Diego State
| overall = 10–3
| conference = 5–3
| confstanding = T–1st (West)
| bowlname = New Mexico
| bowloutcome = W
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name=San Diego State
| overall = 81–38
| confrecord = 51–20
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 146–107
| bowls = no
| poll = two
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://goaztecs.com/coaches.aspx?rc=326&path=football San Diego State profile]
{{Navboxes
|list =
{{New Mexico Lobos quarterback navbox}}
{{New Mexico Lobos football coach navbox}}
{{San Diego State Aztecs football coach navbox}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Long, Rocky}}
Category:American football quarterbacks
Category:Canadian football quarterbacks
Category:Detroit Wheels players
Category:New Mexico Lobos football coaches
Category:New Mexico Lobos football players
Category:Oregon State Beavers football coaches
Category:San Diego State Aztecs football coaches
Category:TCU Horned Frogs football coaches
Category:UCLA Bruins football coaches
Category:Wyoming Cowboys football coaches
Category:High school football coaches in New Mexico
Category:Players of American football from Provo, Utah