Nice article in the Athletic (paywall) on Longo. If he works out at Wisconsin, definitely one to keep an eye on should it be necessary. Mentions the usual MO of the Leach/Briles offenses that I've brought up here. Run to green, only 26 plays but so much variation out of it. Simple but practiced a lot. Also looks to run the ball despite what people may think on the surface.
Excerpts rom the article:
Those who have worked with Longo say he will meld what has been successful at Wisconsin with its stout offensive linemen and strong running game while upgrading the passing attack in a major way.
Everywhere Longo coached, he implemented a form of the Air Raid and found success with his offenses. At Division III William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., the offense equaled or set 27 school records. As a head coach at Division I-AA LaSalle from 2004-05, the offense ranked second in the nation and broke 19 school records. He went on to stops at Minnesota-Duluth, Southern Illinois, Youngstown State, Slippery Rock and, in 2014, took over as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at FCS school Sam Houston State.
That’s when he met a quarterback named Jeremiah Briscoe, whose performances in Longo’s record-setting offense would help Briscoe become the first player in school history to win the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in the FCS, and position Longo for his first FBS job. In 2016, Briscoe set the FCS record with 57 touchdown passes while throwing for a school-record 4,602 yards passing.
“Coach Longo can take a mediocre quarterback and make him great, and he can turn a great quarterback into an elite quarterback,” Briscoe said.
Longo, who has been the offensive coordinator at North Carolina the last four seasons, features more power and counter runs, as well as inside zone with run-pass options off that.
UNC quarterback
Drake Maye finished 10th in Heisman Trophy voting this season and has thrown for 4,115 yards with 35 touchdowns. But the
Tar Heels have run the ball (474 rushes) nearly as much as they have passed it (491 throws). Maye is the leading rusher with 653 yards and has scored seven touchdowns. Ole Miss had a 1,000-yard rusher at tailback in 2017. North Carolina had two 1,000-yard rushers at tailback in 2020.
“He comes from the Air Raid family, studied Mike Leach for years and years,” Peeler said. “But it’s Air Raid pass game with running the football. That’s where people get kind of misconstrued on everything. There is an aspect to the Air Raid pass game, but he wants to run the ball.
www.timesleader.com
