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Chris Long Interview
August 6, 2007 It's not easy growing up in the shadow of a father who was a professional athlete but when that father was a Hall of Famer and you just happen to play the same position expectations are sure to be high. Not only has Chris Long lived up to those expectations so far but he could even end up being drafted higher than his dad Howie was (2nd round in 1981). Chris talked with Scott Wright as he prepares to embark on his final college season. Scott Wright: What is your accurate height, weight and forty time?
Chris Long: 6'4 280 and I haven't been timed recently but have run in the 4.7's. Scott Wright: For those who didn’t know your dad Howie played a little ball once upon a time. Purely from a football perspective has it been more of a blessing or a curse to be the son of a Hall of Famer and why? Chris Long: It is more of a blessing because I not only have the most supportive Dad a kid could ask for but I have a father with a wealth of knowledge at something I happen to want to do with my life. Even in the respect that it has been a curse, it has also been a blessing motivationally. It has allowed me to mature as a person and motivated me more to try to move out of his shadow if at all possible. It has also set my standard for success high because he has done everything a football player could dream of. He has taught me never to be satisfied or complacent. Scott Wright: You could have come out for the 2007 NFL Draft but you opted to go back for your senior year. What were the reasons behind you decision? Also, did you get a projection from the NFL’s Underclassmen Advisory Panel and if so what did they tell you? Chris Long: I'm glad that time period has passed so I can focus on now. Most importantly I feel like I have a committment to my teammates, Coach Groh and the University of Virginia. I love it here and want to finish what I started. It was not a hard decison because my heart was always in staying and winning an ACC championship with my teammates. Also, I can improve so much individually that there is no way someone like me could be satisfied. You should be perfect before you move onto the next level. I feel like I made a great decision. Scott Wright: What would you say is your greatest strength as a football player and what area do you need to work on? Chris Long: Everyday you should improve as a football player. I feel like ten year veterans in the league progress. So the areas of improvement are always limitless for me. My strengths would probably be my use of hands, leverage, my overall work ethic and motor. Scott Wright: What current NFL defensive end do you most admire and who do you think you compare favorably to? Chris Long: I'm a Ray Lewis fan but my favorite players at DE are Patrick Kerney and Michael Strahan. People have compared me to Patrick Kerney and that's a great honor for me. He went to UVA as well. I have had the privilege of speaking with both of those guys and they are not only great players but good people. Scott Wright: What is your greatest football moment to date? Chris Long: I would say that winning the state championship my senior year in high school and beating Florida St. my sophomore year at home when they were ranked #3 are my favorite memories. I'll never forget those games. Scott Wright: Who is the best player you have faced during your career? Chris Long: I was lucky enough to face D'Brickishaw Ferguson every day for two years. It made practice a struggle to survive. He is by far the best player I've faced. I owe much of my development as a player to him. Scott Wright: Is there one younger player at Virginia that you see developing into a star, either at the college or pro level? Chris Long: Yeah. A lot of guys have that chance here. Branden Albert doesn't get as much attention as he should at all. In my opinion he is the best guard in the ACC and I'd probably rather line up across from any duo in the country than him and Eugene Monroe. Defensively Chris Cook, Clint Sintim, Jefferey Fitzgerald and Nate Collins will do big things. Scott Wright: Who was your favorite college or pro team growing up? Did you have a favorite player? Chris Long: I've always liked the Panthers but I'm just more of a fan of watching different players around the league. Scott Wright: What current pro are you most looking forward to going up against? Chris Long: I think it would just be cool to line up against anyone that I grew up watching. Scott Wright: At what point did you realize that you might have a future in football beyond college? Chris Long: It's still something that is crazy to think about. Scott Wright: What do you plan to do once your playing career is over? Chris Long: I don't have any plans. I'm hoping that won't be for awhile. Scott Wright: When you get your first professional paycheck what is the first thing you are going to buy? Chris Long: Haha... An apartment and some groceries and go from there. But that's a long way from now. Scott Wright: Obviously it is still early but do you plan to play in any of the post season All-Star games like the Senior Bowl? Chris Long: It's so far off right now but I'd love to play in something like that. I haven't talked about it with Coach Groh or anyone else yet. Scott Wright: Do you have any goals in mind when it comes to the NFL Draft (i.e. Top 10, Round 1, Day One, etc.)? Chris Long: My goal is to win the ACC this year and to perform as well as I possibly can as a teammate as well as individually. If I do that, I figure everything else falls into place. Scott Wright: Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions and good luck! Scouting Report University of Virginia Bio |
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