Aug. 11, 2010
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24 DAYS TO KICKOFF: -- When Lamar University quarterback Larry Haynes absorbed a vicious hit after releasing a pass early in the second quarter of the Cardinals' second game of 1979, Mike Long embarked upon what was to become a perfect season for him.
Long replaced Haynes and went 4-for-4 that sunny afternoon in Bowling Green, Ky., as the Cardinals defeated Western Kentucky 58-27. His first pass went to wide receiver Howard Robison for 12 yards, and his third was a 13-yard connection to Robinson for the touchdown that put the Cardinals up 21-7.
"With me coming off the bench unexpected in a tight situation like that, Coach (Carl) Smith eased me into things by calling a screen pass on the first play," said Long in recalling that long-ago day during his senior season. "That was the best way to do it - a screen pass to our most reliable receiver.
"I wasn't really nervous. I didn't have any time to get nervous. I just went out there and had fun. I was prepared, and I just did my job."
Long did it so well, in fact, that Haynes hurriedly got himself back into action on the Cardinals' next possession, which came three plays later after a fumble recovery by linebacker Rick Casey.
"I may have had a slight concussion, but I wasn't so groggy that I wasn't aware of what had just happened on the field," Haynes chuckled during an interview with a Beaumont Enterprise sports writer years later. "I saw what Mike did in zipping us down the field for that touchdown, and I knew how good of a quarterback he was. I knew I had better get back out there, or I was going to lose my job."
Haynes returned to complete a 17-for-27 for 276 yards and three TD game, and Long added a 15-yard scoring pass to tight end Rick Carber on his only other pass of the afternoon. With Haynes staying healthy the rest of the season, Long appeared in only one more game, and his only pass in that one also went for a 32-yard TD, making him 5-for-5 for 79 yards and three TDs for the season.
"I was aware of the situation I was in that season," said Long, who is entering his fifth season as head football coach and athletic director at Beaumont's Kelly High School. "Larry had been the starting quarterback the season before; he was a darn good one, and we were both seniors. I knew my chances for much playing time weren't good as long as he stayed healthy, but it didn't keep me from being totally prepared from the first play of the first game until the last play of the last game.
"I wouldn't trade my Lamar experience for anything. I was really lucky to have a couple of guys like Larry Kennan (Lamar's head coach in 1979) and Carl Smith to learn from. They were offensive innovators, and I soaked in their knowledge - that season and for another year and a half as a graduate assistant.
"Larry and Carl spent a lot of extra time sitting with me, watching video and pointing out ways to take advantage of other teams' defensive schemes. I patterned a lot of my coaching styles after Carl Smith."
Long, who was the offensive coordinator at Port Neches-Groves in 1999 when his son Dustin quarterbacked the Indians to the Class 4A state championship game, is thrilled that young football players will now have the opportunities to enjoy the type of experiences he lived at his alma mater.
"Lamar bringing back football is a tremendous uplift to all of the high schools in Southeast Texas," said Long. "It gives young men an extra hope and an extra avenue to possibly experience the game at the next level.
"Being a Lamar-ex, I couldn't be prouder that they've been successful in getting football back. College football belongs in Southeast Texas.
Long pointed to Cardinal freshman wide receiver Doug Prewitt, who played quarterback and defensive back for him at Kelly, as being an example of what having football back at Lamar can mean to an area player and to Lamar.
"Doug was a great athlete for us, and he threw for over 2,100 yards his senior season," said Long. "No one offered him a scholarship, so he was all set to go to (Texas) A&M on a full scholastic scholarship.
"Coach (Ray) Woodard and Coach (Craig) McGallion offered him the chance to come to Lamar as a preferred walkon and to try and make the team as a receiver. He's trying to fulfill his dream of playing college ball now, but if Lamar didn't have football he would be at A&M.
"I'm going to be there (in Provost Umphrey Stadium) on Saturdays watching him and all of Lamar's players play, and I know a lot of the other high school coaches will be there, too. They're all excited about college football coming back to our area.
"I just hope the townspeople will show up in large numbers, too. That was the problem in the past. We couldn't get big crowds. I'm hoping that will change now."
The Texas State University System Board of Regents approved an athletics fee to help restore the football program in February of 2008, and Lamar named former NFL player Ray Woodard its eighth head football coach on June 19, 2008.
The Cardinals will play an 11-game schedule this season with six games to be played in newly renovated Provost Umphrey Stadium. The season opener will be at McNeese State on Sept. 4, and the Cardinals' home opener will be Sept. 11 against Webber International.
Tickets for this historic season are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling the Lamar athletics ticket office at (409) 880-1715 or by visiting the athletics Web site at www.lamarcardinals.com/tickets/footbl-s-tickets.html.
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