Kornacki: Long Was a Difference-Maker at Maryland

By Steve Kornacki

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Cornerback David Long was a difference-maker for the University of Michigan football team against Maryland.

He made the big play in Saturday's (Nov. 11) 35-10 win by returning an interception 80 yards and very nearly breaking Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon's record for the longest pickoff return in program history.

Long, a sophomore from Los Angeles Loyola, also was central in holding the Terrapins' top offensive weapon, Big Ten receiving leader DJ Moore, to his second-lowest output this year.

It was Long's strongest game of the season, and he came up with the biggest play he's made for the Wolverines.

The pivotal interception was made possible by being locked in on his assignment. Long kept his eyes on Maryland quarterback Ryan Brand while dropping back in coverage into his own end zone on a third-and-goal play from the 10-yard line late in the first half.

Brand was engulfed by Wolverines pass-rushers Rashan Gary, Maurice Hurst and Josh Uche on the play, but let it fly to his left, hoping to connect with receiver Taivon Jacobs.

Long was the only one near the pass, though, and he picked it off in the middle of the end zone. He said he had no idea that Jacobs was behind him, but took a chance by running it out, and it turned out to be a great decision.

"I wasn't looking behind me," said Long. "I was looking ahead of me, and I saw that DJ Moore was a little bit to the right, so I thought I could make him miss and get downfield."

Long sprinted down the right side of the field and picked up steam quickly. He was flying by Terrapins and smelling something big.

"It was a little bit difficult because it's really difficult not to just outrun the blocks," said Long. "That was the first thing on my mind -- to outrun everybody. But once I ran about 40 yards, I started slowing down (while reading a block)."

Safeties Tyree Kinnel and Josh Metellus ran interference for him against Moore and others to assure that nobody could get an angle on Long. He got rolling. Cornerback Lavert Hill and nose tackle Aubrey Solomon threw important blocks midway through the return, and linebacker Uche engaged tailback Lorenzo Harrison III as Long had a decision to make inside the 30-yard line.

Should he cut right and go for the corner of the end zone or cut left and head for the goal post?

Long went to his left.

"I was trying to let Josh Uche set up a block," said Long. "And looking back, I could've just kept going outside. But if I hadn't slowed down, (Uche) wouldn't have gotten his hands on (Harrison). So, I tried to slow down and let him set up, and I got caught from behind."

Long also was a receiver in high school, and made 25 catches for 525 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior at Loyola. So, he knows what to do with the ball in his hands and the end zone nearing.

"Next time," added Long, "I'll just stay outside."

That would've kept him away from the majority of Terrapins still in pursuit, and possibly enabled him to reach the corner of the end zone.

Good hustle by Moore?

"For sure," said Long.

Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh had believed until the postgame press conference that his other starting cornerback, Hill, made the dramatic interception and return.

"I thought it was Lavert," said Harbaugh, laughing when assured it was indeed Long. "That was a heck of a play. I thought it was Lavert the whole time.

David Long's second-quarter interception helped keep the Wolverines' momentum going as it ended a Maryland drive that could have given the Terrapins some confidence.

"Yeah, we kept them out of the end zone. They were threatening there, and he made a heck of a play. Good eyes, saw the ball coming out of the quarterback's hand, and picked up some blocks, and returned it darn near all the way -- 80 yards. It was a heck of a play by Rashan Gary on the play as well."

Gary busted free up the middle to smack Brand as Uche and Hurst converged from opposite sides.

That Uche, a sophomore from Miami, got up off the ground and ran downfield to lead the blocking convoy was a real show of hustle.

Had Long reached the end zone, it would've been a 100-yard return.

That would've eclipsed the record-setting, 95-yard interception return for a touchdown by Harmon in 1939 against Iowa. Harmon, who won the Heisman the next season, played offense and defense, as was common in that era.

Kinnel put an arm around Long as they walked off the field, and middle linebacker Mike McCray slapped Long on his helmet while congratulating him. It was an electrifying moment that assured Maryland wouldn't reach the end zone and cut the lead to 14 points right before halftime.

"I was just happy to make a play that helped the defense," said Long, who also made four tackles, "and just tried to take it as far as I could. I was kind of disappointed I made it to the 20 and couldn't get back into the end zone, but I'll take what I can get."

Long's other interception this season included a 25-yard return at Penn State that briefly gave the Wolverines momentum in a game they lost.

"It felt really good to get the ball back in my hands again and run around a little bit," said Long. "I'm a little more comfortable now. At Penn State, it felt really weird having the ball in my hands."

There was some irony in Moore making the touchdown-saving tackle against Long, who thwarted him most of the game.

Moore came into this game leading Big Ten receivers with 820 yards, 6.6 catches per game and eight touchdown catches. He was held to five catches for 37 yards and didn't score. His longest reception covered 11 yards.

Long went up with Moore on a sideline route to bat away what would've been a reception of at least 30 yards in the third quarter.

"He's a competitor," Long said of Moore. "I really had to study a lot of film, and I knew he was a guy that was going to get a lot of targets. They are going to try to get the ball to him in critical situations, and so I just had to make sure that I'm always dialed in, always ready so they can't get a quick one to him or try to take a shot deep."

Viper Khaleke Hudson also had an interception, and showed his high school running back abilities by returning it 22 yards. So, the Wolverines picked up 102 yards on two picks. Maryland had 160 yards receiving to show for 38 pass attempts.

Long went a long way toward tilting this one in Michigan's favor.