Oklahoma football: Five opposing defensive jersey numbers to be mindful of in 2018
By Chip Rouse
No. 11, David Long, junior West Virginia linebacker
David Long, a redshirt junior, missed the first four games last season with a knee injury, but made up for lost ground in a hurry when he returned to action in game five against TCU.
He ended the 2017 campaign with 75 tackles, third best among Mountaineer tacklers, and 3.5 sacks, according to statistics provided by the WVU athletic department. Long led the team in tackles for loss (16.5) and also posted four pass break-ups and recovered a fumble.
Long was an impact player in the game with Oklahoma last season, although in a losing cause, recording seven tackles and one for lost yardage.
The WVU Defensive Player of the Year, Long is clearly the leader of the Mountaineer linebacker unit. A year ago, he was an All-Big 12 First Team selection by ESPN, and coming into the new season, Phil Steele rates him as a preseason third-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12. Steele ranks the 5-foot, 11-inch, 225 linebacker from Cincinnati, Ohio, as the No. 27 national outside linebacker.
With the Oklahoma game to be played at West Virginia this season (Nov. 23, the final weekend of the 2018 regular season), expect to hear Long’s name called a lot if he is healthy.