Black Hills State University

SPEARFISH - Jay Long, the former Black Hills State offensive coordinator, will take over as head coach of the team, the university announced Monday afternoon.

Long has been known for his energetic coaching style while serving the past six years as offensive line coach and offensive coordinator for the Yellow Jackets, under the direction of John Scott, who resigned this month. Long has helped develop one of the top offenses in the Dakota Athletic Conference. The past two years the Yellow Jacket offense has been a leader in the DAC, earning recognition as one of the top three in total offense, and No. 1 in rushing with a total six all-conference offensive linemen.

Jhett Albers, athletic director at BHSU, says the university is fortunate to have someone with Long's abilities to assume leadership for the Yellow Jacket football team.

"We believe that coach Jay Long provides the leadership, work ethic, respect and vision to maintain the success of the Yellow Jacket football program into the future," Albers says. "We are excited to name him as the new head football coach at Black Hills State University."

Long is excited by the announcement and says his vision is to build on the success that the Yellow Jackets have experienced in recent years.

"I've been a part of this program since we first started to turn it around six years ago. I think we know the recipe for success. We may change a few ingredients as we move forward but the basic recipe will remain the same," Long says.

Long noted that his first priority as head coach will be to continue to recruit top student-athletes from the area to BHSU.

Long, who was an all-state offensive lineman and a state runner-up in wrestling at Sturgis High School, played college football at Chadron State while earning a bachelor's degree in physical education and health. At Chadron, he was also a national qualifier as a wrestler.

Prior to accepting the assistant coaching position at BHSU, Long served as assistant football and strength coach at Wayne State College in Nebraska. While at Wayne State, he earned his master's degree in sports management and coached the defensive line. Long also played two years in the National Indoor Football League - one year with the Casper Calvary and one year for the Rapid City Red Dogs.

Long and his wife, Kresi, have two young daughters.