Sept. 19, 2008

By Shawn Davis, MSU Athletics Communications Intern

"What are you doing sitting down? Do you want a cigar and a glass of brandy while you are sitting there? Get back up and lift!"

That is how senior defensive end Brandon Long was introduced to Spartan football nearly five years ago. During summer conditioning, Long, a highly touted linebacker prospect, was your typical freshman - excited, confident, nervous - but he was also misplaced and naive. During a routine squat thrust exercise, Long was unaware that the team did not sit to take breaks between lifts, so the inexperienced freshman did what anyone else would do.

"I sat down to take a break. I wasn't aware that we could not sit down in between sets when we were lifting," Long recalled. "And I don't know if too many people are familiar with the intensity of (strength and conditioning coach) Ken Mannie, but I got introduced to it early."

That is when Mannie gave Long his formal introduction to football while he was taking his break. That memory from his first camp has stuck with Long all the way to his senior season. In a way, it epitomized what Spartan football was all about - hard-working, blue-collar and intense - traits that Long would soon learn to embrace.

Long never sipped from that glass of brandy or took a puff off of that cigar. Instead, he got back up and continued to lift with a newfound perception, one that hasn't wavered in five years. He has worked extremely hard toward earning playing time throughout his career, overcoming several obstacles along the way. Now in his senior year, Long is one of the experienced leaders on the defensive line.

"I think I am ready to step into that role," Long said. "I think my confidence is improved and I am willing to step up and make some plays to be a starter for us this year."

Long was the defensive star at GlenOak High School in Canton, Ohio, a town that can be described in one way: a football town. Long was the top tackler for GlenOak as he tallied 274 career tackles, including 34 for losses, making him a weapon that could strike fear in any opposing offensive player. With great speed and size for a linebacker, the Spartan coaching staff had something else in mind when Long arrived on campus.

"When I got here and was playing in camp, I was playing really well and I thought I was going to challenge for some playing time at linebacker," Long said. "But we had an injury on the line and coaches asked me to fill in at end because our depth was not the best."

Even for an athlete that possessed the skills and athletic ability that Long did, moving from linebacker to defensive end is never an easy battle. Long had to train even harder, gain weight, add muscle, and change his game. At 252 pounds, Long is a bit undersized for the defensive line, but what he lacks in size he makes up for with his speed and linebacker instincts.

After closing out his junior season starting in the Champs Sports Bowl vs. Boston College and making four tackles, Long entered fall camp this year with his sights set on making his final season a career year. Projected as the starter in each of the last two seasons, Long never quite lived up to his own expectations, and the hiring of Mark Dantonio before last season put another wrinkle in his plans to start.

"I have nothing negative to say about the old staff, but when Dantonio came in, the difference was night and day," Long said. "He brought a lot of intensity, and having a guy who really knows defense really helped me refine my game."

The intensity and scheme that Dantonio brought to East Lansing also brought more expectations for Long. He lived up to those expectations this fall and has earned a starting position on the defensive line.

"I think Brandon is poised for a great football season," said Dantonio. "It's his senior season, and if you're going to have success as a football team, your seniors usually have their best year. He did an outstanding job with conditioning this summer, and he's mentally sharp."

"I have a lot of expectations for myself this season," added Long. "I just want to go out there and play well and make my team better. If I do that, I will know that I have done my part."

That mentality has Long and the Spartans in a unique situation this season. Despite a coaching staff that is in just their second season at MSU, the Spartans are expected to win at a high level. As Long has progressed on the field, he has also become a leader for the team. Although not always vocal, his will to win at all costs resonates through the team.

"I am not the most vocal guy in the locker room, but I lead by example," Long said. "If the young guys see me out there going hard every play, it inspires them to play better. If they see that extra work in the weight room or on the field, that can only make them better."

Hearing Long acknowledge how extra work in the weight room has paid off just goes to show how far Long has come since he stepped foot on campus as a young freshman. Now it seems Long will be the one offering a freshman a refreshing beverage or a cigar during a brief break from their workout.

"I know is sounds clich," Long said. "But when I came to MSU, I felt like I was just a boy, and four years later I am coming out a man. That is what Spartan football has done for me. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

This feature was originally published in the Sept. 13 edition of Michigan State Football Gameday Magazine.