COMMENTARY
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Like reading the tells from a fullback’s eyes or a lineman’s lean, David Long also foresees the hits coming from West Virginia defensive coaches during postgame film sessions.
On some of his most disruptive plays, Long jets through the wrong gap. He’s wagering his explosiveness against the exposure such freelancing creates. This leads to a reckoning when the linebackers view Sunday cut-ups.
“We tell him that if you’re going to take that route, you better make the play, and he says, ‘Coach, I got it.’ He’s so explosive and can slip blocks so well, he may not always take the right path, but he understands the risk,” said defensive assistant Mark Scott.
“If we’re solid on that front side, and we leverage the play, that frees him up to go and make those tackles behind the line. A guy who’s that instinctive you can live with some of those plays.”
After missing four games to start the season, Long is finishing it with a flurry. His 11 TFLs rank second on the defense behind Al-Rasheed Benton (12.5) and sixth ion the Big 12. His six pass-breakups are only one off the team lead.
With Long becoming a backfield menace and averaging nearly nine tackles a game, it’s increasingly clear how his meniscus injury limited West Virginia’s defense throughout September.
“He changes games. He’s special,” said defensive coordinator Tony Gibson. “Just think where he would be if hadn’t missed those first four games.”
Generously listed at 5-11, Long laughed this week when a reporter referred to him as being 6-feet tall. Most Power 5 programs laughed at the thought of him becoming an elite-level linebacker. Even West Virginia’s recruiters needed convincing before the frequency of Long making plays on his high school film became too much to ignore.
“I play like I’m 6-4, though,” Long said. “I know the big players have all the wingspan and stuff but when it comes down to it, you’ve got to play football.”
The sophomore sure played some football last Saturday, making 11 tackles to front a defense that fortified the 28-23 win by repeatedly turning away Kansas State in plus territory. He should have had 12 tackles. Long didn’t even receive credit for his most explosive play — running through a guard and two blocking backs to sack Skylar Thompson.
“Nobody could even touch him,” Gibson said.
Long doesn’t simply play in a reckless rage. When he wrecked a counter play to Dalvin Warmack, it happened because Long spied the fullback’s eyes looking across the formation and noticed that Warmack wasn’t going full force at the snap.
“This time he slowed down like he would try to cut it back,” Long said of the 4-yard loss.
His hyperactivity on gamedays is contagious. On K-State’s first play from scrimmage, Long was the last guy off the pile, continuing to rip at the ball until an official stepped in and warned him to cool it. Long said he wanted K-State’s offense to know they were in for a furious four hours: “Just showing them that we’re here. Letting them know that from snap No. 1 to snap whatever, you’re going to have to deal with us.”
That enthusiasm continues even during TV timeouts, when Long paces the sideline congratulating offensive players after a score. Perpetual motion. Simmering combustion. Waiting until the defense hits the field again and he can really let loose.
“David brings a different edge,” Scott said. “Our defense has gotten their confidence back and we’ve been more aggressive the last two weeks. He’s kind of the spear of that for us.”
Come Saturday in Morgantown, the Texas defense will be stocked with four- and five-star prospects — rangy, broad players with NFL measurables. Based on the passion and production from West Virginia’s overlooked 5-11 guy, he won’t be out of place.