The 6–1, 230-pound long played defensive tackle and was a two-time All-America, a First-team in 1970 and a consensus selection in 1971.
After receiving his military draft notice, Long enlisted in the Marines and trained as a rifleman.
Long is the most highly decorated veteran to play professional football.
[1][full citation needed] After leaving the military, Long enrolled at the University of Toledo.
And in 1971, it was 12-0 (giving Toledo a 35–0 record for 3 years) and victory over Richmond (28-3) in the Tangerine Bowl.