During the mid-1980’s when Augustana was winning national football championships and putting together a long winning streak the national media descended on Rock Island. One player who always drew the attention of the scribes from across the nation was Mark Long. Every pundit who stepped foot on the Augustana campus wanted to talk to the “old guy”. While not exactly “old”, he definitely was not your traditional college student.
He graduated from Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Illinois in 1977 where he had been a high school teammate of current Viking head coach Jim Barnes. It took until the fall of 1982, after a five year stint in the construction business, before Long decided that he wanted to go to college and continue his football career. By the time he played his last game in the 1985 Stagg Bowl he was 25 years old.
While his age got the attention of the media, it was his ferocious play from the strong safety position that caught the eye of every offensive coordinator who was forced to draw up a game plan against Augustana. He was big (6’ 2”, 210) for a guy lining up in the secondary during that time and he feared nobody. He tackled like a linebacker but defended the pass extremely well as his 11 career interceptions will attest.
It was the final interception of his career that brought a chuckle from all who followed his remarkable career. After picking off Ithaca quarterback Mike Middaugh at the Bombers’ 24 yard line with less than two minutes to go in a 20-7 victory in the 1985 Stagg Bowl, Long returned the ball 19 yards to the 43. As he neared the end of his run, he slid to his knees rather than get tackled. Not a typical Mark Long maneuver, he explained after the game, “I’m too old to get hit on the last play of my football career.” Even head coach Bob Reade, a man who normally would engage a player in a not-so-friendly one sided conversation when one of his players did something like that, forgave the veteran warrior. He sought Long out immediately after the game and embraced him in a hug of respect and admiration.
Respect and admiration was given to Long by teammates and foes alike. He absolutely tattooed opposing running backs and receivers and when he blitzed the quarterback, the collisions were usually one sided and in his favor.
It took him a while during his freshman year to get the kinks out after having been away from football for five seasons but he paid his dues by playing on the junior varsity team and waited for his chance. It came in the first round of the 1982 NCAA Division III national playoffs in a game at number one ranked Baldwin-Wallace. He drew his first career start and was instrumental in helping the Vikings to a 28-22 upset over the Yellow Jackets on the famed “Magic Carpet” of George Finnie Stadium.
Once in the lineup, he was impossible to replace and he finished his career with 40 straight starts and Augustana was 39-1 with him in the starting lineup. He led the Vikings in tackles in 1984 and 1985 and during his senior year he won nearly every award possible. He was voted team captain prior to the 1985 season and he was a first team All-America selection on every honor squad possible (Kodak, Football News, Associated Press and Pizza Hut). He was an easy choice as the Most Valuable Defensive Player in the CCIW in 1985 and was voted his team’s defensive MVP as well.
He graduated in May of 1986 with a degree in political science. He has been serving as the Midwest District Manager for National Equipment Service in the traffic safety division since 1992. Mark and his wife Laura live in Wayne, Illinois and the couple has one daughter, Meagan, who was born during Mark’s senior season.
“I am still very thankful for the opportunity that Coach Reade allowed me,” said Long upon learning of his induction into the Hall of Fame. “My situation was one that he could easily have walked away from but he and his staff did not do that. The opportunity changed my life. I met my wife, had a daughter and was able to meet so many good people as well as win three national championships. It was a tremendous experience that I could not have timed better for where I was at during that time of my life.”
