Sam Houston State welcomes Phil Longo back to Huntsville as the 16th head football coach to lead the Bearkats.
Press release from GoBearkats.com
HUNTSVILLE – Sam Houston Director of Athletics Bobby Williams announced Wednesday afternoon the hiring of Phil Longo as the school’s 16th head football coach.
“Throughout each step of this process, Phil Longo kept rising to the top as the best choice to lead our football program,” Williams said on Wednesday. “He checked all the boxes we were looking for from knowing our program and his success as our offensive coordinator. His growth from his time at Ole Miss, North Carolina and Wisconsin were also key factors in our decision. In addition, he has a high level of support from our on-campus leaders and overwhelming positive input from donors and fans.”
With 34 years of coaching under his belt, Longo returns for his second stint in Huntsville where he served as the program’s offensive coordinator from 2014-16. The appointment will be his second head coaching stint, as he also served as the lead man at LaSalle in 2004 and 2005.
“My family and I feel that a part of us has never left Sam Houston and it feels like we are returning home,” Longo said. “I am elated and honored to become the next head football coach at Sam Houston State University.”
Longo returns to Huntsville after a seven-season hiatus where he has served as the offensive coordinator at Ole Miss, North Carolina and Wisconsin. While there he has tutored a number of players who have moved on to the next level such as quarterbacks Drake Maye and Sam Howell, and wide receivers AJ Brown and DK Metcalf.
In Longo’s three years leading the Bearkat offense from 2014 to 2016, SHSU won the Southland Conference twice (2014, 2016) and compiled a 34-10 overall record. The Bearkats advanced to the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs in 2014 and 2015 and the quarterfinals in 2016, rising as high as No. 1 in the FCS national polls.
“Our first FBS head football coach search was the best process I have been a part of in my 42 years at Sam Houston,” Williams said. “The candidate pool was excellent and we appreciate everyone’s interest in our football program. The finalists were all quality FBS coaches and we could have worked with all of them. Personally, I am very excited to work with Phil to continue our success with” Bearkat football.
Regarded as an outstanding recruiter and quarterbacks coach, Longo was named the national Coordinator of the Year in 2016 when he directed Jeremiah Briscoe to the first of consecutive Walter Payton Awards in 2016, becoming the first player in Sam Houston and second Southland Conference history to win the award. Briscoe threw for 4,602 yards and 57 touchdowns that season, breaking the FCS/1-AA single-season touchdown pass record which was set by Willie Totten in 1984.
In all, eight Kats on the offensive side of the ball earned all-SLC honors that season, including wide receiver Yedidiah Louis being named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Louis was the second consecutive Kat to be named the league’s top offensive player after quarterback Jared Johnson earned the honor in 2015, a year after he set a program record for quarterback rushing yards with 999 in 2014.
Despite featuring a pass-heavy attack, Longo’s offensive units at Sam Houston also ranked top 10 among FCS teams in rushing in both 2014 and 2015, producing 1,000-yard rushers in 2014 (Keshawn Hill) and 2015 (Corey Avery) and a 900-yard rusher in 2016 (Remus Bulmer).
Over his last 16 seasons as an offensive coordinator, Longo has produced a 130-70 (.650) record, won six conference championships and made seven postseason appearances. He spent each of the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Wisconsin, where he implemented Air Raid principles to drive the Badgers to new records in the passing game. Wisconsin tallied 469 pass attempts and 281 completions in 2023, both UW all-time records.
The Badgers’ 2,862 passing yards ranked fourth all-time in program history. Despite the passing output, Badger quarterbacks only threw five interceptions, tied for the 2nd-fewest in a UW season ever. Even with the shift to the passing game, Wisconsin still found balance, averaging 160.0+ yards rushing and 220.0+ yards passing for the first time since 2015. The Badgers led the Big Ten with a 44.2 percent conversion rate on third down in 2023.
Prior to his move to Madison, he spent four seasons on Mack Brown’s staff at North Carolina where the Tar Heels led the ACC with 197.5 rushing yards per game and ranked second in the conference with 102 rushing scores. Through the air, UNC’s offense led the ACC in passing yards (14,781), passing touchdowns (131) and passer rating (161.6) over Longo’s tenure. The Tar Heels produced five 1,000-yard rushers and five 1,000-yard receivers over the last four years.
Longo tutored quarterback Drake Maye in 2022, helping the freshman earn ACC Player of the Year and Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year honors. He threw for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns against only seven interceptions while also leading the Tar Heels in rushing yards (698). Over the previous three seasons, UNC quarterback Sam Howell set 27 school records, including passing yards (10,283), passing TDs (92), pass efficiency (164.2) and total offense (11,292).
He made his way to Chapel Hill after engineering two successful seasons at Ole Miss, where he produced top-20 units both years and tutored first-round draft picks in AJ Brown, DK Metcalf and Greg Little. In 2018, his offense ranked seventh nationally in yards per play (7.1), ninth in total offense (510.5 ypg), fifth in passing offense (346.4), 25th in red zone offense (88.9) and 33rd in scoring offense (33.9). The Rebels finished the year sixth on the SEC’s all-time list for passing yards per game and were first in the nation in first down production.
In 2017, the Rebels thrived in Longo’s system and became the nation’s fastest scoring team at just 99 seconds per scoring drive. Ole Miss averaged 462.3 yards of total offense to rank second in the SEC and 18th nationally. The offense produced the conference’s best passing game with 328.4 ypg, ranking 11th nationally). Quarterbacks Shea Patterson and Jordan Ta’amu each recorded three games of at least 350 yards passing, as Ole Miss became the fourth FBS team over the past 20 seasons to accomplish that feat. Following Patterson’s season-ending injury, Ta’amu and the Rebel offense did not skip a beat under Longo’s guidance.
Ole Miss was one of the nation’s best red zone teams in 2017, scoring 95.3 percent of the time to rank sixth in the country. The Rebels not only excelled in the air but on the ground as well. Senior running back Jordan Wilkins tallied 1,011 yards to become just the fifth Rebel in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.
Three Rebels recorded at least 600 yards receiving, including Brown, who was a sophomore at the time. In his first season in Longo’s offense, Brown set single-season school records for receiving yards (1,252) and receiving touchdowns (11). DaMarkus Lodge (698 yards) and DK Metcalf (646 yards) hauled in seven touchdowns apiece.
Longo began his tenure at Slippery Rock as wide receivers coach in 2011 before assuming the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach duties in 2012. In his first year as OC, Longo installed his offense which resulted in The Rock averaging 34.8 points and 407.3 total yards per game.
In his second year as offensive coordinator in 2013, the Longo-led Rock Air Raid averaged 43.3 points and 536.5 yards per game. The no-huddle attack finished the nation ranked fourth nationally in total offense, sixth in passing offense and eighth in both scoring offense and first downs. SRU led the 16-team Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in all those categories and set SRU single-season school records for points scored, total offense and passing yards. Senior QB Nigel Barksdale was the second Harlon Hill Trophy nominee, the DII Player of the Year, coached by Longo. He also mentored Ted Schafke at Minnesota-Duluth.
In 2010, Longo served as the receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Youngstown State, where he mentored first-team all-conference pick senior Dominique Barnes (signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions). Barnes set a school record by catching a pass in 34 consecutive games and finished his career ranked second in school history in receptions.
Prior to joining the YSU staff, Longo spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Southern Illinois, helping the program post a 15-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference record and back-to-back conference championships. SIU was 20-5 overall during Longo’s tenure as offensive coordinator.
In 2009, Southern Illinois ranked seventh in the FCS in scoring offense (34 ppg) and 21st in total offense (394.8 ypg). The statistics were even more impressive considering SIU lost its starting quarterback Chris Dieker midway through the season and turned the reigns over to freshman Paul McIntosh. Both quarterbacks had success in different ways for Longo. Dieker (signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers) excelled in the passing game (1,326 yards), while McIntosh shined in the rushing attack (588 yards and six touchdowns). The duo combined for 2,879 yards of total offense, 18 touchdown passes, a 61.5 completion percentage and just nine interceptions.
One of biggest beneficiaries of the well-balanced system was running back Deji Karim, a former backup, who became one of the nation’s leading rushers his senior year. Karim, the MVFC Offensive Player of the Year, finished third in the balloting for the prestigious Payton Award, the FCS most outstanding offensive player, after a season in which he rushed for 1,694 yards, 18 TDs and a 7.1 per carry average. Karim was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars and also played for the Houston Texans.
The Salukis reached the FCS Quarterfinals before losing to William & Mary. SIU was 11-2 overall and undefeated (8-0) in the MVFC. Southern Illinois spent seven weeks as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation.
In 2008, Longo directed a Saluki attack that featured a 1,000-yard rusher in Larry Warner and a passing game that was ranked No. 2 in the conference. These accomplishments were even more impressive since Southern had to replace 8 of 11 starters including all of its skill positions.
Prior to SIU, Longo was the offensive coordinator under Bubba Schweigert at University of Minnesota-Duluth (2006-07). UMD’s offense ranked at or near the top in most offensive categories including second in passing offense both seasons. Longo mentored receiver Brandon Anson (signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals) and quarterback Ted Schlafke, who posted numerous Division II passing records and went on to win the 2008 Division II National Championship.
From 2004-05, Longo served as head coach at LaSalle. During his time at the LaSalle helm, Longo produced two MAAC Offensive Player of the Year award winners, five All-Americans and 13 All-MAAC selections. His 2004 offense ranked second in the nation among Division I-AA mid-major schools. In addition, he oversaw an offensive unit that established 19 school records and finished first in the MAAC.
Longo joined LaSalle after serving as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator at William Paterson University (2000-01). In 2001, William Paterson sported one of the top offenses in Division III. The Pioneer offense finished with the third-highest scoring average in school history while equaling or setting 27 school records.
Longo began his coaching career in the high school ranks. As head coach at Parsippany Hills High School, Longo took over a program with a winning percentage of .217 over the 33 years prior to his arrival. He led the Vikings to their first appearance ever in the New Jersey State playoffs and their first undefeated championship season. Longo left as the winningest coach in school history. In 1999, his team competed in and won the 11th highest scoring game in the history of high school football. Longo earned NJ Star Ledger and Daily Record Coach of the Year honors in 1999 and was awarded the Sportsmanship, Ethics & Integrity Award by the National Federation of State High School Associations.
A Bayville, N.J. native, Longo began his collegiate playing career at East Stroudsburg University, where he played quarterback in 1987. The following year, he transferred to Rowan University, where he played from 1988-1991 under the tutelage of former UNC head coach John Bunting and KC Keeler, who he would later coach under at Sam Houston.
As a running back at Rowan, he was a member of the school’s first New Jersey Athletic Conference championship and NCAA Division III playoff team as a senior. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Rowan in 1992.
Longo and his wife Tanya are the parents of daughters Gianna, Macaria and Morgan, and son, Nico.
