Image Credit: The Diamondback
2013 Statistics: 32 catches, 489 yards, 15.3 YPC, 1 TD; 1 carry, 18 yards, 18.0 YPC, 0 TD
Best Game: vs. Florida International (9 catches, 110 yards, 12.2 YPC, 1 TD)
Worst Game: vs. Old Dominion (3 catches, 24 yards, 8.0 YPC, 0 TD)
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After Stefon Diggs lit up College Park with his stellar freshman season in 2012, many fans were wondering what was next for the Maryland receiving corps. When Randy Edsall and his staff brought Deon Long onto the team for the 2013 season, there were questions of whether or not teams would be able to stop the new Terrapin offense. Long was a big-time recruit out of Dunbar High School in nearby Baltimore, Maryland, and committed to West Virginia. He soon left there for Hargrave Military Academy. From there, he joined Mike Locksley at New Mexico. After one year with the Lobos, he moved on to Iowa Western Community College, where he put up some of the most incredible numbers you’ll ever see from a wide receiver. Randy Edsall and his staff were able to bring Deon Long home to College Park, and he just so happened to be a 5-star Junior College recruit, and a perfect compliment to Stefon Diggs.
The Maryland coaching staff knew that they’d need another talented wide receiver to take pressure off of Stefon Diggs. They also wanted another speedy deep threat for their quarterbacks. Deon Long fit that mold perfectly. He is a strong young man, able to make very tough catches in traffic. He also has great speed, and runs past defenders with the best of them. In fact, Randy Edsall has said he thinks Long may be a bit faster than the speedy Stefon Diggs.
The coaches put Long at the split-end wide receiver position, while Diggs stayed in the slot. Just like with Diggs, Mike Locksley uses a variety of different plays to get Deon Long the ball in space. The most noticeable way that he does this is on screen plays. A few times per game, you’ll see the Maryland quarterback sprint out to one side of the formation. He’ll then throw the ball back across his body to Deon Long, who has blockers setting up a screen for him. This was a productive play for the Terps last season, but isn’t the only way that Locksley gets Deon Long the ball in space.
While he only ran the ball once last season, Deon Long showed his running capability on a big double-reverse against West Virginia that went for 18 yards and nearly ended in a touchdown. Maryland uses Stefon Diggs so much in the running game that teams often forget about Deon Long. When C.J. Brown handed the ball off to Stefon Diggs on a jet sweep against West Virginia, the Mountaineers were taken off guard when he flipped the ball to Deon Long, who sprinted the other direction for a big gain. I’d expect to see a little more of this in 2014, now that both Diggs and Long will be fully healthy.
The passing game is the best way for Long to get touches, especially on deep routes. His pure speed makes him a nightmare for opposing defensive backs. His first and only touchdown of the 2013 season came on a simple streak route up the right sideline. He beat his defender off the ball, and C.J. Brown made a great pass to put the ball in his hands in the end zone. You’ll also see Long run a variety of deep dig routes, taking advantage of his good agility and route-running ability. He made a lot of catches on these routes in traffic, showing his strength and good hands.
Deon Long is a very talented all-around receiver, and should be a huge part of the Maryland offense in 2014. If he stays healthy, there is no reason to think he won’t be a first-round NFL draft pick. The Terps’ receiving corps will be one of the best in the country this season, and Deon Long is half of the dynamic duo of Diggs and Long. Opposing defenses can’t key on just one of them, leaving the door wide open for one or both of them to rack up catches and yardage. One thing is for sure: the Maryland passing game should be a fun one to watch in 2014.
Terps Analyst
Zack is a financial analyst for a defense contractor in Washington, DC. The Owings Mills native focuses most of his efforts on Maryland Football recruiting and individual coach and player pieces; but also covers Terps Basketball. He has established relationships with Big Ten beat reporters across the conference, which he utilizes in his game previews. Now a Sr. Terps Analyst for BSL, Zack can be reached at: zack.kiesel@baltimoresportsandlife.com.