Rocky Long

Rocky Long
Long at 2016 Mountain West Media Days
Sport(s) Football
Current position
Title Head coach
Team San Diego State
Conference MW
Record 69–30
Biographical details
Born (1950-01-27) January 27, 1950
Provo, Utah
Alma mater New Mexico (BEd)
Playing career
1969–1971 New Mexico
1972–1973 BC Lions
1974 Detroit Wheels
1975–1976 BC Lions
Position(s) Defensive back, quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1972–1973 New Mexico (GA)
1974–1975 Eldorado (NM) HS (assistant)
1978 New Mexico (OB)
1979–1980 New Mexico (DB)
1981–1985 Wyoming (DC/DB)
1986–1987 BC Lions (LB)
1988–1990 TCU (DB)
1991–1995 Oregon State (DC)
1996–1997 UCLA (DC)
1998–2008 New Mexico
2009–2010 San Diego State (DC)
2011–present San Diego State
Head coaching record
Overall 134–99
Bowls 4–8
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 MWC (2012, 2015, 2016)
Awards
CFL Western All-Star (1977)

Roderick John "Rocky" Long Jr. (born January 27, 1950) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the San Diego State University. Promoted on January 12, 2011 from defensive coordinator, he succeeded Brady Hoke.[1] Long was the head football coach at his alma mater, the University of New Mexico, from 1998 to 2008. He played professionally with BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Detroit Wheels of World Football League (WFL).

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 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 been 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.[2] In 2011, he was promoted to head coach at San Diego State after two seasons as their defensive coordinator.

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,[3] and Hannah is the women's volleyball program head coach at Queens University of Charlotte.[4]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
New Mexico Lobos (Western Athletic Conference) (1998)
1998 New Mexico 3–91–77th (Pacific)
New Mexico Lobos (Mountain West Conference) (1999–2008)
1999 New Mexico 4–73–4T–5th
2000 New Mexico 5–73–4T–5th
2001 New Mexico 6–54–3T–3rd
2002 New Mexico 7–75–22ndL Las Vegas
2003 New Mexico 8–55–22ndL Las Vegas
2004 New Mexico 7–55–22ndL Emerald
2005 New Mexico 6–54–4T–4th
2006 New Mexico 6–74–45thL New Mexico
2007 New Mexico 9–45–3T–3rdW New Mexico
2008 New Mexico 4–82–67th
New Mexico: 65–6940–34
San Diego State Aztecs (Mountain West Conference) (2011–present)
2011 San Diego State 8–54–34thL New Orleans
2012 San Diego State 9–47–1T–1stL Poinsettia
2013 San Diego State 8–56–22nd (West)W Famous Idaho Potato
2014 San Diego State 7–65–3T–1st (West)L Poinsettia
2015 San Diego State 11–38–01st (West)W Hawaii
2016 San Diego State 11–36–21st (West)W Las Vegas2525
2017 San Diego State 10–36–22nd (West)L Armed Forces
2018 San Diego State 5–12–0(West)
San Diego State: 69–3044–13
Total:134–99
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Coaching tree

Assistant coaches under Rocky Long who became NCAA or NFL head coaches:

The following is a list of all coaches Long served for at the NCAA Division I level through assistant coaching:

Key: † – As a letterman[5]

References

  1. ↑ http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2008/dec/29/1s29azfoot215132-rocky-long-coach-aztecs-defense/?zIndex=29037
  2. ↑ "New Mexico's winningest coach Long steps down".
  3. ↑ "Rogers St". Archived from the original on June 19, 2013.
  4. ↑ "2016 Women's Volleyball Coaching Staff".
  5. ↑ "2017 New Mexico Lobos Football Media Guide" (PDF). Athletics at the University of New Mexico. Retrieved August 19, 2018.


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