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Kansas football: Jeff Long a great fit to lead Jayhawks

By Stan Unruh

FAYETTEVILLE, AR - APRIL 21: Athletic Director Jeff Long of the Arkansas Razorbacks talks to former players on the sidelines during the Spring Game at Donald W. Reynolds Stadium on April 21, 2012 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, AR - APRIL 21: Athletic Director Jeff Long of the Arkansas Razorbacks talks to former players on the sidelines during the Spring Game at Donald W. Reynolds Stadium on April 21, 2012 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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The University of Kansas named Jeff Long as the school’s new director of athletics. He has the experience the Jayhawks need to turn the football program around.

I had heard of Jeff Long when he moved from the University of Pittsburg to the Southeastern Conference at Arkansas. I did not think much about Long at the time. He did some outstanding things with the Razorback football program. A very talented but very selfish football coach ruined what Long accomplished in Fayetteville.

On that that fateful day in April of 2012, Bobby Petrino took his girlfriend for a motorcycle ride. The crash, lies and embarrassment took a heavy toll on a lot of people. Long had no choice but to fire Petrino.  I felt badly for Long.  He didn’t stay out of the news long.  Later that year, Long surprised me and many others when he lured Brett Bielema away from a successful program at Wisconsin to coach the Hogs.

I have only been to Arkansas a couple of times.  I was not impressed either time. Just consider the sales job it took for Long to convince Bobby Petrino to leave the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons mid-season to coach in Arkansas. As a matter of fact, Petrino wanted out. However, leaving an NFL team in early December for a job in Fayetteville seemed crazy at the time.

When Long sold Bielema on leaving Madison for Fayetteville, I was more than impressed.  Bielema didn’t work out the way Hog fans wanted. I don’t blame Long. The new University of Kansas athletic director knows how to sell. Lawrence is much nicer than any place in Arkansas. Rock Chalk Jayhawk also sound far nicer than Woo Pig Sooie.

A couple of things on Long’s resume stand out. Michigan’s legendary coach Bo Schembechler once hired him. When Long moved to Arkansas, they hired him to replace legend Frank Broyles. Schembechler and Broyles know a lot about football. In addition, Long has also served as chairman of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee.  KU Chancellor Doug Girod has made a wise choice. Jeff Long is the right man at the right time in Lawrence.

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