Cash Kruth
Orlando, Fla. — It’s hard for senior defensive end Brandon Long to explain what his first two years as a MSU football player were like. During Long’s freshman year in 2005, the Spartans went 5-6. As a sophomore, his team went 4-8.
Then, in November 2006, MSU hired Mark Dantonio as its new football coach, and a little more than two years later, Long, Dantonio and the rest of the Spartans found themselves playing in a football game on New Year’s Day.
“I mean, this is where I wanted to be, as an athlete, as a competitor; this is where you want to be, competing against the best,” Long said. “That’s what we got a chance to do out here today was play one of the best teams in the country.”
Although the Spartans came up short Thursday, losing 24-12 to Georgia (10-3 overall) in the Capital One Bowl at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium, it’s amazing that they even got this far.
And that’s not a pessimistic view; it’s the truth.
“Yeah, I mean, I hoped so,” Long said of whether he truly thought the Spartans had the potential. “At the time, I didn’t think, I didn’t know — but I hoped,” Long trailed off. “I hoped something would happen.”
Something did happen. The players who went 9-14 during Long’s first two years remained, but a new coaching staff came; along with a new attitude.
Long, who played in all 13 games and drew three starting assignments, and the Spartans went 7-5 in the 2007 regular season and went to the Champs Sports Bowl, losing to Boston College.
This year, the Spartans went 9-4 overall, played for a Big Ten Championship and took the field on Jan. 1.
It took four years — five for other seniors — but Long and the Spartans took the bumps and bruises and grew up.
“Where I was then,” Long said recollecting his freshman year. “A lonely, stupid kid to the man I am now; that’s completely contributed to coaches and the people who surrounded me.”
With Long’s MSU football career done, it’s time for him to take the next step, just like he helped the Spartans take theirs. Since he didn’t have a redshirt year, Long still has some credits to go before graduating. At this time he’s not sure if he’ll come back to MSU and graduate or make a run at the NFL, saying, “it’s still up in the air.”
Whatever Long decides to do, he can take comfort and pride in knowing that he and 15 other seniors were part of a turnaround for MSU football.
“I hope they do better than us, I wish nothing but the best for these younger players and the guys who are moving up, and I think they will (do better), they’re a talented team,” Long said of future MSU teams. “If anybody can say anything about my time here, it is that it was a turnaround at Michigan State and I hope they can carry the torch and keep it going.”
Considering all that Long and his buddies have persevered through, there’s nobody better to take the torch from.
Cash Kruth is a State News football reporter. He can be reached at kruthcas@msu.edu.
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