The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 16, 2005, Page B3, Image 11
gamecock greats
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Photo courtesy of Mike Safran
Kevin Long became Carolina’s
first 1,000-yard rusher in 1975
Rlex Riley
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
In 1973, Kevin Long came to
USC out of the small town of
Clinton, where he had been recruited
by coach Paul Dietzel as a linebacker.
Litde did Gamecock fans know that
the imposing figure would rewrite
the history of USC’s rushing game.
“I got letters from a bunch of
people, but there were only two
teams that really gave me concrete
offers, and that was the Naval
Academy and South Carolina
State,” Long said. “I actually signed
with Navy to go up there originally.
My family didn’t have a car in those
days, and I was supposed to go
down to Sumter to take a physical,
and I wasn’t able to get down there.
“As fate would have it, Carolina
came in and made me an offer, and I
signed with them.”
Dietzel’s original plan put Long on
the defensive side of the ball, making
him a third-team linebacker.
“Coach Dietzel was a really neat
coach to play for,” Long said. “We
ran drills all the time. I was probably
in the best shape of my life playing
under him.”
When Dietzel leh in 1974, USC
hired coach Jim Carlen as the new
head of Gamecock football. Carlen
saw Long
switched him to the position that
would make him a legend at
Carolina.
“One of the statements he made to
us was the best 22 players was going
to play,” Long said. “He was true to
his word. If you didn’t perform, you
weren’t going to get on the field.”
Under Carlen, Long finally got
his shot at running back and turned
in what at the time was the greatest
performance by a running back in
USC history. Long totaled 1,133
yards in 1975, the first 1,000-yard
running back for the Gamecocks in
school history.
“When I came to Carolina, I had
no idea no one had rushed for a
1,000 yards,” Long said. The only
reason I was aware that no one had
gained 1,000 yards was talking to
Clarence Williams one day, and he
mentioned it to me. So, I looked at
the record books and there it was
that no one had gained 1,000 yards.
That gave me a little incentive to be
the first one to do it.”
Long’s performance in 1975 was
doubly special, as his 1,133 yards
would be coupled with Williams
1,073 rushing yards to produce
USC’s only two-back duo rush for
1,000 yards in the same season.
“Even though we were
competitive, we were great friends
with each other,” Long said. “Not
that we were there out there trying to
gain 1,000 yards to get the individual
accolades, because the team always
comes first. In order to do that, you
have to complement each other.
When I wasn’t carrying the ball, I was
blocking just as hard for him and
visa-versa. We were just able to do
that through our friendship.”
The rushing tandem of Long and
Williams, combined with Second
Team All-American quarterback Jeff
Grantzs passing and rushing
abilities and Philip Logan’s receiving
skill, propelled Carolina to a 7-4
finish and a berth to the 1975
Tangerine Bowl.
“It was an exciting feeling. It was
like our Christmas,” Long said. “For
a hard season, you’re rewarded with
an extra game at the end of year.
Especially getting to go somewhere
like Florida. We were glad to give
the fans something they had waited
on for a long time.”
After his senior season at Carolina,
Long got a chance to play
professional football with the New
York Jets after being drafted in the
seventh round, where he played from
1977-1981. Long took some time off
before turning to the sidelines for a
two-year stint with the USFL.
“The 70s was probably one of
the greatest times in my mind to be
in New York,” Long said. “That was
the media capital of the world at the
time. I felt like I was really blessed.
It was a great experience. I don’t
have any regrets going there, and I
wouldn’t have wanted to play
anywhere but there.
After tasting the life of the Big
Apple, Long made a decision that
his family didn’t need to be raised in
the environment of a big city. He
made his return to Columbia, where
he started his family and has lived
and worked ever since his retirement
from football.
“After being up in the Northeast,
you get used to the fast-paced life,”
Long said. “But it's very costly, and
it's not as safe and I didn’t want to
raise my family in an environment
like that.”
“I wanted to come back south and
I always loved Columbia. I always
maintained a home here even when I
was living in other states. So, one day
I just decided enough was enough
and we packed up and came home.”
Long’s return to a normal life
allowed him to raise his kids and see
them grow up; he attended their
school functions and sporting events.
It also gave him the chance to come
back for games at Williams-Brice and
stay in touch with his old friends.
1 hough its been almost 3U years
since Long donned the garnet and
black, his name is still ingrained
throughout the record books at
Carolina. His 2,372 career yards are
still eighth best all-time and his
1,133 yards in 1975 are the third
best season total ever. He totaled six
games of more than 100 yards
rushing, which ties him for the fifth
best total. Long and Williams
posted three games where both
rushed for more than 100 yards,
including Long’s career high of 160
yards against N.C. State. Long also
had two games with 100 yards and a
receiver with 100 yards receiving.
“I hope that it’s an inspiration for
young running backs coming to
South Carolina,” Long said.
“Because of that history that the
university has some good running
backs. It’s just a blessing to be able
to have accomplished that sort of
thing. I’m most proud of the fact
that it’s always going to be a part of
the records.”
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports @gwm.sc. edu
Thomas splitting time
on both sides of gridiron
IDiquel Jacobs
STAFF WRITER
Trailing 9-7 with a little over one
minute to play in the first half,
Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley
led a 65-yard drive down to the
USC 15 yard line, leaving just
enough time on the clock for a
scoring opportunity. With 20
seconds remaining, Shockley
checked the coverage, faked a
handoff, and lofted a soft touch into
the end zone that was caught
beautifully by the receiver. There
was just one problem. It was a
receiver for the wrong team.
“It felt like (Shockley) was (trying
to test me out),” Carlos Thomas,
the SEC Freshman of the Week,
said of the drive-ending play. “I’m a
freshman and I’m from the same
hometown, so I pretty much figured
he was going to try to come at me.
He knew who I was. He looked over
there and gave his receiver some
type of signal. He looked directly at
me, and I knew right there that he
was coming at me.”
Who could blame' blame
Shockley for trying to pick on the
freshman? Despite being a two-way
player in high school, Thomas was
recruited mainly as a wide receiver.
Even after getting scholarship offers
from major schools like Ohio State,
LSU, and Georgia to try. out at both
offense and defense, it was still
widely expected that the speedster
from College Park would contribute
mostly on offense, where he carried
a No. 9 national ranking coming
out of high school.
“(USC) said they were going to
give me a chance, and they gave me
a chance,” Thomas said. “They
knew I wanted to play both ways,
they knew I could. I’m just a backup
in case one of the primary DB’s goes
down.”
That trust in Thomas by the new
coaching staff played a big role in
getting him to Columbia. On
September 8, 2004, an in-state
battle between the Bulldogs and
Georgia Tech ended when the
senior at Banneker High
committed to the Yellow Jackets.
Georgia Tech led throughout
the process thanks to having
signed his brother Levon
Thomas in 2001, a wide
receiver who signed a free
agent contract with the
Indianapolis Colts this past
off season.
However, two months
later he reopened his
recruitment and
fully decommitted
from the Yellow
Jackets in late
December.
Seemingly out
of nowhere, the
Gamecocks and
Ohio State were
named
leaders one week
later, and
heralded recruit
gave his strong
Nick Bans/THY.
GAMECOCK
Freshman
standout
Carlos
Thomas.
verbal to Carolina on January 16,
2005, two days after his official visit
to campus.
“I liked what they have planned
for me,” Thomas told Rivals.com
aftewhis verbal. “I got a chance to
talk to coach Spurrier Jr. and the
defensive backs coach. They said
they wanted to try me at wide
receiver and cornerback.”
It took all of two games before
the Gamecocks turned the freshman
loose. Thomas participated in only
two defensive plays last Saturday,
but Coach Steve Spurrier hinted
that he could see a play here or there
against Alabama in man coverage.
With the secret now out of the bag,
Spurrier doesn’t have to hide the fact
that one of the fastest players on the
team with great hands is splitting
his time with coach Spurrier Jr. and
secondary, coach Dave Wommack.
“I’m used to playing my best,”
Thomas said. “Wherever I’m
helpful on the team, that’s where I’ll
play. Everyday I (practice) some at
DB and some at receiver. The first
10 minutes of practice I work with
the DB’s, and the rest I work with
the offense.”
After including his new
assignment as a kick returner,
Thomas’s continued experience and
time on the field should keep him
poised enough to make the
necessary plays and contributions as
a true freshman. Roommate and
fellow freshman receiver Kenny
McKinley has also been assigned as
a punt returner and noted that solid
performances by each of them in
their hometown did nothing but
inspire -them to make even more
plays, no matter what side of the
ball.
“Carlos, he’s going to make plays
on offense and defense,” McKinley
said. “We’re both from (outside)
Atlanta. Both of our families came
down, so it was good for him to get
THomns • b<j
I + First 1,000-yard running back for USC in 1975
l| with 1,133 yards
4- Long and Clarence Williams only duo to rush for
1,000 yards each in same season in Gamecock
^ history
4- Eighth-highest total rushing yards in Carolina
_ history with 2,372
Graphic illustration by Laura-Joyce Gough I THE GAMECOCK
ON THE I
COVER |
\ Spurrier, Simpson •
I photos by Katie :
I Kirkland/ The :
B Gamecock, \
I photo by Radi •
■ Nabulsi/bullmoose :
H photography.com,
m Shockley photo by j
I Dale Zanine/UGA •
■ Cover designed by i
■ Laura-Joyce :
■ Gough/The •
18® Gamecock \
.i.: