Bearkats Newsletter: The Hidden Connection Between Phil Longo & Sam Houston's New Defensive Coordinator
Plus, Sam Houston is in line for one of the first looks at a much celebrated SEC QB
Sam Houston’s New DC’s Deep Ties To Phil Longo
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There is a hidden connection between new Sam Houston defensive coordinator Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay (whom, for brevity’s sake, we will henceforth refer to here as FAL) and new Bearkats head coach Phil Longo….they faced off three times, in one of the ACC’s secretly fiercest rivalries.
They were opposing coordinators with Longo guiding the Carolina offense and FAL, the young, scrappy DC for the Wolf Pack of NC State. Longo got the best of him the first time, but FAL’s defenses were too much for the Tar Heels in 2021 and ‘22, as both of Longo’s future NFL QBs, Sam Howell and Drake Maye, would each throw a pick against the NC State defense.
Perhaps Longo looked on at both losses, impressed with what the young Wolf Pack DC had done against his offenses. Who was this guy, he asked, supposing, possibly, that maybe those schemes are the precise way to challenge quarterbacks. Rather than beat him, Longo has welcomed him in to the Bearkat family.
If I am correct, then I expect FAL to not only serve up top level defenses in 2025, but also challenge Longo’s signal callers during practices. The ‘Kats are going in on offense next year, but cannot neglect the other side of the ball. The deep ties that led to the hire of FAL can help to serve both goals.
P4 Sam Houston Opponent Will Have Major Change At QB In 2025
After an incredible run that fizzled in last week’s Cotton Bowl, the Texas Longhorns are set to have a new signal caller after QB Quinn Ewers declared for the NFL Draft. The draft picture for Ewers will come more into play in the coming weeks and months, but for now, it means Sam Houston will be the fourth opponent on the docket for Arch Manning as he begins his highly-lauded first season as the starter in Austin.
Details of Contract For New Jax St Coach Revealed
We reported a few newsletters ago that Jacksonville(ALABAMA) St. had hired former Auburn DC (AND FORMER COLORADO DC, COACH PRIME MENTION WOOOO!!) Charles Kelly to lead its program after the departure of Rich Rodriguez. This week, it came out that Kelly is set to be paid just over $1 million per year on a contract that runs through 2029. According to Jax St. AD Greg Seitz, that places Kelly as the second highest paid CUSA coach behind Liberty’s Jamie Chadwell.
For reference, new Bearkats head coach Phil Longo made $1.2 million per year during his time as OC at Wisconsin. I have not seen his contract details for Sam Houston, but do suspect it came with some semblance of a pay cut.
LaTech Loses Defensive Coordinator
After a sluggish start to the 2024 season, LaTech turned things around just enough for a bowl bid thanks in large part the guidance of defensive coordinator Jeremiah Johnson. The Bulldogs must now find his replacement after Johnson took the job at Coastal Carolina. It took just one year for him to transform the Bulldogs from a joke in 2023 into one of the more respectable defenses in CUSA (as the Bearkats discovered).
This means LaTech will now have a new OC and DC. After head coach Sonny Cumbie gave up play calling duties last season, he hired MTSU’s Tony Franklin to lead the scoring attack. Franklin held the same position at LaTech from 2010-2012.