Next week all the seriousness of X’s and O’s will begin when fall football camp opens at Chadron State. With a few days left of “summer” for the guys at the RMAC Kickoff in Colorado Springs we wanted to have a little fun with Jake Geil, Tyler Lewis, Kyle Temple and Coach Jay Long and went “4 Downs” with each of them to learn a little more about their personalities and thoughts on some fun topics.
4 Downs with Chadron State Head Coach Jay Long
- 1st Down: The new redshirt rule where players can get in to four games and keep that redshirt eligibility. Do you like it? Do you hate it? And will it come to Division II?
Coach Long: “I love it, and I think that it’s a great experience for freshman. As soon as we go in to our meeting rooms and say ‘you guys are going to redshirt’ those kids’ mindset changes to ‘well now I don’t get to play in any games’, so their mindset changes a little bit. That carrot out there where they could get into four games would really help. I think it could also really help at the end of the year when our special teams get thin. The second piece of it is, I voted for it. At the AFCA meetings I definitely voted for it. I was in the room with all the Division II head coaches and when they asked for a show of hands (in support) it was a very, very high percentage of the room. I’d say 75-90 percent of the room had their hands up. So, do I see it coming to D2? Yes, I do see it coming to D2.”
- 2nd Down: Humboldt State, a team we played two games against recently has shut the program down. What was your reaction when you saw that was happening and unfolded with that program, and will it be possible to get other GNAC teams now on the CSC schedule?
Coach Long: “When I first heard that…you hate it. I’m a football guy, obviously being a football coach and anytime a program has to close its doors to football is a bad thing. Those guys had a great thing going. They were a very good football team. They were the only Division II football program, them and Azusa, in California with a state that size and it was sad when they closed (the team). In regards to scheduling, basically the two conferences where we can go is their conference (GNAC) and the Lone Star Conference. Humboldt closing their doors does open up an opportunity for us for next year, we’re still working on it. I’m hoping to be able to fill that game.
- 3rd Down: How has the RMAC changed or play within the RMAC changed in just the last six seasons since you’ve been here.
Coach Long: “When I was a player here until now, the athlete is a lot faster. From when I got done until now the speed is a difference. The coaching since I’ve been here since ’12 until now, it’s been real comparable. I think the biggest thing is that every team has a guy, has a difference maker that can change the game with one play. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the bottom team in regard to record or the top team in regard to record, every one of them has a guy that we have to prepare to stop and prepare our game plan around. Also, we’ve got to be able to find ways on our squad to get the ball into our playmakers hands. I think that’s one of the things that’s different, is that a lot of our guys (D2 players) are getting second-level opportunities in the NFL and I think that’s raised the level of athlete in our conference.
- 4th Down: Let’s talk about the new stadium. Tell us how that’s helped you in recruiting and what are your impressions so far as you see it come together just a month away from kick?
Coach Long: “The new stadium is just like frosting on a cake, it’s the best part. When I came in 2012 and I walked around campus I (thought to myself) it looks a lot of the same to when I was there in the 90’s. Then I started going in the buildings and (saw a lot) of changes inside. Then it seemed like about ‘13-14 is when it changed. We started building the insides of that cake. We got a brand-new weight room. We got a new Chicoine Center. Then we got a new locker room. And now it’s like the grand finale – we get a brand new (football) stadium. It’s something that when we talk there’s the “want” and the “needs” side, and we’re on the “needs” side now.
(Regarding recruiting) “When we look around and travel every place we go to has brand new facilities and it is something that had to happen (in Chadron). Our facilities were built in the 50’s, so it became that “need.” It has really helped in regards to recruiting. It has really helped us in regards to the mentality of our coaches and the mentality of our players.
The last piece I always like to add is that Chadron State football has always been set apart by toughness and effort, and why it was like that is because maybe we didn’t have the nicest things like the other guys did. That’s on us coaches to make sure our guys are still hungry, and we still have that mentality to go out and take and earn everything that we get.”