Kevin Long (football)
Encyclopedia
For the NFL offensive lineman of the same name see Kevin Long (offensive lineman)
.
Kevin Fernando Long (born January 20, 1955 in Clinton, South Carolina
) is a retired American football
running back
who played in the National Football League
and the United States Football League
.
and was a standout fullback
for the Gamecocks
. He rushed
for 2,372 yards, 8th overall on Carolina's all-time list as of 2006. His average per rush was 5.3 yards and he was the first Gamecock player to compile 1,000 yards in a season (1975). In 2002, Kevin was inducted into the University of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, and in 2003, into the State of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
in the 1977 NFL Draft
and played five solid seasons for the Jets, until 1981. However, he is probably best remembered as a former USFL player. He played three seasons in the newly formed league, first for the Chicago Blitz
in 1983, and then for the Arizona Wranglers
in 1984. Due to the full-team trade that occurred during the first off-season between Chicago and Arizona, the 1984 Arizona team was basically the same team that had played in Chicago in 1983. After the 1984 season, Arizona then merged with the Oklahoma Outlaws franchise, and Kevin played for the new Arizona Outlaws
team in 1985.
. His second daughter plays volleyball
at the College of Charleston
.
Kevin Long (offensive lineman)
Kevin Long is a former American football center who played four seasons in the National Football League with the Tennessee Oilers/Titans. He started in Super Bowl XXXIV....
.
Kevin Fernando Long (born January 20, 1955 in Clinton, South Carolina
Clinton, South Carolina
Clinton is a city in Laurens County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 8,091 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Greenville–Mauldin–Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area. Clinton was first settled by Scots-Irish immigrants two decades before the American Revolutionary...
) is a retired American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
who played in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
.
College
Kevin Long attended University of South CarolinaUniversity of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
and was a standout fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
for the Gamecocks
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
. He rushed
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
for 2,372 yards, 8th overall on Carolina's all-time list as of 2006. His average per rush was 5.3 yards and he was the first Gamecock player to compile 1,000 yards in a season (1975). In 2002, Kevin was inducted into the University of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, and in 2003, into the State of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
NFL/USFL
Kevin was drafted in the 7th round (195th overall) by the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1977 NFL Draft
1977 NFL Draft
The 1977 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1977...
and played five solid seasons for the Jets, until 1981. However, he is probably best remembered as a former USFL player. He played three seasons in the newly formed league, first for the Chicago Blitz
Chicago Blitz
The Chicago Blitz were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. They played at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.- Team history :...
in 1983, and then for the Arizona Wranglers
Arizona Wranglers
The Arizona Wranglers were a professional American Football team in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. They played at Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, a suburb of Phoenix.-Founding:...
in 1984. Due to the full-team trade that occurred during the first off-season between Chicago and Arizona, the 1984 Arizona team was basically the same team that had played in Chicago in 1983. After the 1984 season, Arizona then merged with the Oklahoma Outlaws franchise, and Kevin played for the new Arizona Outlaws
Arizona Outlaws
The Arizona Outlaws were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. They were owned by Fresno banker and real estate agent William Tatham, Sr., who had briefly owned the Portland Thunder of the World Football League.- 1984 Oklahoma...
team in 1985.
Current status
Today, Kevin works in sales for a vending machine company. He is married and has three daughters. His eldest daughter won a track and field scholarship to the University of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
. His second daughter plays volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
at the College of Charleston
College of Charleston
The College of Charleston is a public, sea-grant and space-grant university located in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina, United States...
.