Long on Talent

On the field, he was a battering ram, a tackling machine.

Off the field, he was a humble and gracious recipient of awards that have placed him among the elite athletes in UVA’s history.

Chris Long (Col ’08) won both respect and renown for his relentless play at defensive end. His jersey, bearing No. 91, has been retired, one of many tributes to his contributions to the Cavaliers and the game of football.

Here are highlights of Long’s honors and accomplishments in 2007:

• Unanimous All-America selection, joining Jim Dombrowski (1985) and Heath Miller (2004) as the only Cavs to earn this distinction
• All-ACC first team
• ACC Defensive Player of the Year
• Recipient of 2007 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award
• Recipient of the Dudley Award, given to the top college football player in Virginia (unanimous selection)
• Finalist for the Lott, Lombardi and Nagurski awards
• A career total of 22 sacks, 43 tackles for losses, 17 broken-up passes, 70 quarterback hurries and 187 tackles.

The two-time team captain helped lead the 2007 Cavaliers to a 9-3 regular season finish and a spot in the Gator Bowl against Texas Tech on New Year’s Day. The Cavs lost that game 28-31.