Long adds first two BCS offers
Westerville (Ohio) South class of 2014 tight end Darryl Long added his first offer several weeks ago from Ohio University. On Monday, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior saw his offer list triple with new offers from a pair of BCS schools.
"Pittsburgh offered me today," Long reported last night. "I am very excited. Pittsburgh is a top 20 institution academically and the football program is very good and uses the tight end a lot, so I am excited for the opportunity."
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A few hours after discussing his Pittsburgh offer, Long contacted Rivals.com with the news that Illinois had also come through with a scholarship offer late Monday night. The Illini and Panthers were the two programs Long mentioned several weeks back as showing the most interest this fall.
Long's conversation with Pitt on Monday took place with offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph after they had a chance to evaluate his junior film.
"He said he liked how versatile I was as a tight end," Long said. "He talked about the tight ends he's coached, how they do stuff at Pittsburgh and how much they care about [their players] not just on the field, but off the field as well."
While Long has yet to make a recruiting visit to Pittsburgh, he does have a fair amount of familiarity with the city and campus.
"I have been up there for a basketball camp. It's a perfect [distance] - it's not too far, but not too close at the same time," Long said. "My dad actually went to school at Carnegie Mellon and he talks a lot about the city itself and how it was nice when he went to school there."
Westerville South's 2012 season is now complete, leaving a few weeks in the college football season for Long to potentially attend a game or two.
"I am trying to visit Pittsburgh whenever I can," Long said. "I'm not sure what games I am going to be able to make, but I am also trying to go to Duke, Michigan and Vanderbilt because I have been in touch with a few of their coaches and it seems like a nice place to visit."
Long finished the regular season with 24 receptions for 424 yards and four touchdowns from his tight end position.