Chip Long Hired as Football Offensive Coordinator
12/8/2023 2:01:00 PM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss football coach Will Hall announced Friday the hiring of Chip Long as the school's offensive coordinator.
A veteran of 18 Division I seasons, Long has worked as an offensive coordinator at Memphis (2016), Notre Dame (2017-19), Tulane (2021) and Georgia Tech (2022). He comes to Southern Miss after spending the 2023 season as a quality control specialist at Louisville.
"Chip is proven play caller with a tremendous resume of offensive success," said Hall. "He has been at the highest level of college football and broken records. His total understanding and command of offensive football, both on the perimeter and in the box were very evident throughout this process. Our players are going to love playing in this offense."
During his time at Louisville, Long helped the Cardinals to a 10-win season, a trip to the ACC Championship game and a berth in the DirecTV Holiday Bowl later this month.
Before serving as offensive coordinator for one season at Georgia Tech and Tulane, Long notably served as the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame from 2017-19, helping guide the team to a College Football Playoff berth in 2019. He was also a Broyles Award finalist for the nation's top assistant coach after taking the offense to new heights during his time in South Bend.
The Fighting Irish saw two top-25 finishes in scoring offense nationally under Long's tutelage, while also ranking seventh nationally in rushing and setting school records in rushing yards and yards per carry during the 2017 season.
During his three seasons at Notre Dame, Long directed nationally ranked offenses while helping the Fighting Irish rebound from a 4-8 campaign in 2016 to go 32-6 over his three seasons with the team, including a berth in the 2018 College Football Playoff. In Long's first season at Notre Dame (2017), the Fighting Irish set school records for rushing offense (3,503 yards – No. 7 nationally) and yards per carry (6.3 avg. – No. 3 nationally), while also ranking among the nation's leaders in scoring offense (No. 24 – 34.2 ppg) and relative scoring offense (No. 10 – 142.8%).
In his second season at ND, Long helped develop quarterback Ian Book from a backup into one of the nation's top signal-callers. With Long directing the Fighting Irish's offense, Book became the first Notre Dame quarterback to ever win the first nine starts of his career, set a school record with a 68.2 completion percentage, and was a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award (nation's top player) and Davey O'Brien Award (nation's top quarterback) and a finalist for the Manning Award (nation's top quarterback). Notre Dame posted an undefeated regular season and earned its first CFP berth, and Long was named one of five finalists for the 2018 Broyles Award (nation's top assistant coach).
The Irish once again had one of college football's best offenses in 2019, as it ranked among the nation's leaders in scoring offense (No. 13 – 36.8 ppg), plays per point (No. 11 – 1.86 ppp) and points per possession (No. 18 – 2.38 ppp). They also had the nation's fifth-fewest turnovers (.85) and 12-fewest sacks allowed (1.23) per game.
Prior to earning the role at Notre Dame, Long's first season as an offensive coordinator was at Memphis in 2016, where he directed an offense that ranked among the top 20 nationally in scoring (No. 15 – 38.8 ppg), passing (No. 14 – 304.4 ypg), passing efficiency (No. 17 – 152.53) and completion percentage (No. 17 – 63.5%).
While at Tulane, and despite the challenges caused by being displaced from campus for nearly a month due to Hurricane Ida, Tulane gained 396 yards in a 40-35 season-opening loss to No. 2 Oklahoma, which was the most yards that OU allowed to a non-conference opponent this season, and more than it surrendered against a pair of Big 12 opponents, including regular-season conference champion Oklahoma State. The Green Wave closed the season with 501 and 452 yards, respectively, in a win over USF and a narrow loss to Memphis.
He began his coaching career with stops at Arizona State and Illinois over a six-year span after serving in graduate assistant roles at Arkansas and Louisville from 2006-09.
Long has helped lead teams to 14 bowl games over the past 18 seasons.
A Birmingham, Ala. native, Long played tight end and wide receiver at the University of North Alabama from 2002-05. He earned first-team NCAA Division II all-America honors as a senior in 2005 and graduated from UNA in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in history with psychology and business administration minors. In 2010, he was named to the Gulf South Conference all-decade team as a tight end.
Long and his wife, Kari, have two daughters: Lyla and Alyson.
Here is what people are saying about Chip Long:
Mike Norvell, Florida State Head coach
"I believe this is a great hire for Coach Hall and the Southern Miss program. Chip is a great offensive mind, who is very innovative, and knows how to get his playmakers the ball in space while showcasing all their skills and talents. I am fired up to see this program take the next step."
Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts Offensive Guard (Former Notre Dame All-American)
"With the game plans he made for us each week, I felt extremely prepared on Saturdays. We'd have an offensive meeting, and he would discuss certain coaching points with each position group so we were all on the same page in practice. In practice he demanded the best from his players and coached his tail off. There is a standard Coach Long holds his players too in which he wants them to be perfect – this standard is impossible to reach. But in trying to reach that standard we became the best players we could be."
Tommy Rees, Alabama Offensive Coordinator
"Chip comes with a proven track record of success and the ability to be multiple on offense. His balance between running the football and creating explosive plays will create a great challenge for defenses. His passion for the game is unmatched and his players will possess the same qualities."
Jeff Brohm, Louisville Head Coach
"I have known and worked with Chip since he began his coaching career. He is a creative offensive mind who also has a strong focus on the fundamentals of the game. He knows how to attack a defense and will be aggressive in his approach."
A veteran of 18 Division I seasons, Long has worked as an offensive coordinator at Memphis (2016), Notre Dame (2017-19), Tulane (2021) and Georgia Tech (2022). He comes to Southern Miss after spending the 2023 season as a quality control specialist at Louisville.
"Chip is proven play caller with a tremendous resume of offensive success," said Hall. "He has been at the highest level of college football and broken records. His total understanding and command of offensive football, both on the perimeter and in the box were very evident throughout this process. Our players are going to love playing in this offense."
During his time at Louisville, Long helped the Cardinals to a 10-win season, a trip to the ACC Championship game and a berth in the DirecTV Holiday Bowl later this month.
Before serving as offensive coordinator for one season at Georgia Tech and Tulane, Long notably served as the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame from 2017-19, helping guide the team to a College Football Playoff berth in 2019. He was also a Broyles Award finalist for the nation's top assistant coach after taking the offense to new heights during his time in South Bend.
The Fighting Irish saw two top-25 finishes in scoring offense nationally under Long's tutelage, while also ranking seventh nationally in rushing and setting school records in rushing yards and yards per carry during the 2017 season.
During his three seasons at Notre Dame, Long directed nationally ranked offenses while helping the Fighting Irish rebound from a 4-8 campaign in 2016 to go 32-6 over his three seasons with the team, including a berth in the 2018 College Football Playoff. In Long's first season at Notre Dame (2017), the Fighting Irish set school records for rushing offense (3,503 yards – No. 7 nationally) and yards per carry (6.3 avg. – No. 3 nationally), while also ranking among the nation's leaders in scoring offense (No. 24 – 34.2 ppg) and relative scoring offense (No. 10 – 142.8%).
In his second season at ND, Long helped develop quarterback Ian Book from a backup into one of the nation's top signal-callers. With Long directing the Fighting Irish's offense, Book became the first Notre Dame quarterback to ever win the first nine starts of his career, set a school record with a 68.2 completion percentage, and was a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award (nation's top player) and Davey O'Brien Award (nation's top quarterback) and a finalist for the Manning Award (nation's top quarterback). Notre Dame posted an undefeated regular season and earned its first CFP berth, and Long was named one of five finalists for the 2018 Broyles Award (nation's top assistant coach).
The Irish once again had one of college football's best offenses in 2019, as it ranked among the nation's leaders in scoring offense (No. 13 – 36.8 ppg), plays per point (No. 11 – 1.86 ppp) and points per possession (No. 18 – 2.38 ppp). They also had the nation's fifth-fewest turnovers (.85) and 12-fewest sacks allowed (1.23) per game.
Prior to earning the role at Notre Dame, Long's first season as an offensive coordinator was at Memphis in 2016, where he directed an offense that ranked among the top 20 nationally in scoring (No. 15 – 38.8 ppg), passing (No. 14 – 304.4 ypg), passing efficiency (No. 17 – 152.53) and completion percentage (No. 17 – 63.5%).
While at Tulane, and despite the challenges caused by being displaced from campus for nearly a month due to Hurricane Ida, Tulane gained 396 yards in a 40-35 season-opening loss to No. 2 Oklahoma, which was the most yards that OU allowed to a non-conference opponent this season, and more than it surrendered against a pair of Big 12 opponents, including regular-season conference champion Oklahoma State. The Green Wave closed the season with 501 and 452 yards, respectively, in a win over USF and a narrow loss to Memphis.
He began his coaching career with stops at Arizona State and Illinois over a six-year span after serving in graduate assistant roles at Arkansas and Louisville from 2006-09.
Long has helped lead teams to 14 bowl games over the past 18 seasons.
A Birmingham, Ala. native, Long played tight end and wide receiver at the University of North Alabama from 2002-05. He earned first-team NCAA Division II all-America honors as a senior in 2005 and graduated from UNA in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in history with psychology and business administration minors. In 2010, he was named to the Gulf South Conference all-decade team as a tight end.
Long and his wife, Kari, have two daughters: Lyla and Alyson.
Here is what people are saying about Chip Long:
Mike Norvell, Florida State Head coach
"I believe this is a great hire for Coach Hall and the Southern Miss program. Chip is a great offensive mind, who is very innovative, and knows how to get his playmakers the ball in space while showcasing all their skills and talents. I am fired up to see this program take the next step."
Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts Offensive Guard (Former Notre Dame All-American)
"With the game plans he made for us each week, I felt extremely prepared on Saturdays. We'd have an offensive meeting, and he would discuss certain coaching points with each position group so we were all on the same page in practice. In practice he demanded the best from his players and coached his tail off. There is a standard Coach Long holds his players too in which he wants them to be perfect – this standard is impossible to reach. But in trying to reach that standard we became the best players we could be."
Tommy Rees, Alabama Offensive Coordinator
"Chip comes with a proven track record of success and the ability to be multiple on offense. His balance between running the football and creating explosive plays will create a great challenge for defenses. His passion for the game is unmatched and his players will possess the same qualities."
Jeff Brohm, Louisville Head Coach
"I have known and worked with Chip since he began his coaching career. He is a creative offensive mind who also has a strong focus on the fundamentals of the game. He knows how to attack a defense and will be aggressive in his approach."
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