Chip Long is in his first season on the Memphis coaching staff in 2016 and serves as the program’s offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.
Long, widely considered one of the nation’s top recruiters, worked closely with Mike Norvell at Arizona State from 2012-15. During that time, the Sun Devils averaged 37 points a game, finished with consecutive 10-win seasons (2013, 2014) and won the 2013 Pac-12 South crown.
“Chip Long is, without a doubt, one of the brightest young offensive minds in the country,” Norvell said. “Coach Long and I have coached together the last four years at Arizona State, where Chip was our recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach.
“He’s going to direct an aggressive, ‘attack-style’ offense that will showcase our playmakers in every aspect of the game. He has been nationally recognized over the last four years as one of country’s top recruiters. Coach Long is originally from Birmingham, Alabama, and has great ties to the region. He has coached in the SEC, Big East, Big Ten, as well as the Pac-12 and is a dynamic addition to our staff. We are extremely excited about Chip and his wife, Karissa, joining us at the University of Memphis.”
During his career, Long has coached at Arizona State, Illinois, Arkansas and Louisville. Three times in his career, Long played an integral role in developing an offense that finished among the nation’s top-10 in scoring offense. Furthermore, a Long-associated offense was ranked among the nation’s top-20 in scoring offense in six of his 10 seasons as a collegiate coach. In four seasons at Arizona State, the Sun Devils scored 50 or more points in 14 games.
Long was recognized as one of the country’s top-25 recruiters by Rivals and 247Sports in 2015. From 2012-14, Rivals listed Long as one of the top recruiters in the Pac-12. He served as the lead recruiter for wide receiver Jaelen Strong, who earned 2014 ESPN All-America first team accolades and was a 2015 NFL Draft third-round selection by the Houston Texans.
Long also mentored All-SEC first team tight end D.J. Williams (Arkansas), All-Pac 12 first team tight end Chris Coyle (Arizona State) and All-America first team fullback Jay Prosch (Illinois).
At Arizona State, Long served as the tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator from 2012-15. He also coached the Sun Devils running backs in 2015. In his four seasons in Tempe, Ariz., the Sun Devils tallied a 34-19 record and earned two top-25 finishes in the national polls (2013: No. 21 AP/No. 20 coaches; 2014: No. 12 AP/No. 14 coaches). Long also was a part of major victories over Southern Cal (twice), UCLA (twice), Stanford, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Duke, Utah (three times) and Arizona (three times).
Prior to Arizona State, Long served as tight ends/fullbacks coach at Illinois under Ron Zook for two seasons (2010-11).
From 2008-09, Long coached the tight ends as an offensive graduate assistant under Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino. Long coached tight end D.J. Williams, who became the first Razorback to win the John Mackey Award. Williams was honored with the 2010 Mackey Award as the nation’s most outstanding tight end.
Before Arkansas, Long was a member of Petrino’s Louisville staff as an offensive graduate assistant from 2006-07. The 2006 Cardinals squad posted a 12-1 overall record and a 6-1 BIG EAST mark. Louisville won the BIG EAST title and earned a spot in the 2007 Orange Bowl, where it posted a 24-13 victory over No. 15 Wake Forest. The Cardinals were ranked No. 5 (AP)/No. 6 (coaches) in the final national polls.
Long earned his bachelor’s degree in history with minors in psychology and business administration from the University of North Alabama. Long, a wide receiver/tight end for the Lions from 2002-05, earned 2005 All-America first team and All-Gulf South Conference (GSC) first team honors. In 2010, Long was named to the GSC All-Decade Team at tight end.
Long and his wife, Kari, welcomed daughter Lyla in June of 2016.
