Get to Know Sam Houston Football Head Coach Phil Longo

Sam Houston Football has a new sheriff in town and his name is Phil Longo. The 16th head coach for the program brings a wealth of experience and a dynamic offensive philosophy that he has employed at previous stops with Ole Miss, North Carolina, and Wisconsin as Offensive Coordinator.

Dec 19, 2024; Phil Longo is announced as the 16th head coach for Sam Houston Football (via x.com/BearkatsFB)

Longo may be a first time head coach at the D1-FBS level, however, this is not his first rodeo with the Bearkats. Longo was previously with the Kats under 2x National Championship winning Head Coach, K.C. Keeler as Offensive Coordinator from 2014-2016. During his 1st tour in Huntsville, Longo lead the Bearkats to a 34-10 record, two Southland Conference championships, and averaging a school-record 49.5 points per game in 2016. This is a refreshing change for a team that has averaged 21 points per game over the past 3 seasons.

In his introductory press conference, Longo mentioned he wants to bring the air raid offense back to Huntsville and said he will have a heavy hand in the offense, but will be hiring an offensive coordinator who would double as associate head coach. This has been slightly changed as the Offensive Coordinator was announced as Zack Patterson who was an Offensive Analyst with Longo at Wisconsin, and formerly an OC at FCS Hampton. Meanwhile Eric Raisbeck was hired as Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator. Due to Longo's hand in the Offense on top of Head Coaching duties, Longo mentioned he essentially would need to hire the head coach for the other half of the team as his Defensive Coordinator. Longo chose Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay, interim DC at NC State and former DC from NC Central. More on Coach Longo's coordinators in the future.

Earlier this year, I posted to X looking for fan questions to interview with Coach Longo. Despite his busy schedule, he has graciously responded and I'm excited to share them with you below:

@shsufootballfan asked: Welcome back home coach, which do you think is more important a good high school class or recruiting in the portal?

Longo: Thank you and it is great to be back. Great question! The true answer is both. We will continue to value our high school signing class each year as the foundation for our program. Why would we not take advantage of one of the most talented areas for football in the United States. High school recruiting will continue to be a priority for Sam Houston Football. The portal is now a very real addition to college football. It appears to be evolving monthly, which means we will continue to evaluate what the landscape is, how to best attack it and make it work for Bearkat Football. It provides an opportunity to acquire immediate positional needs, and/or veteran talent when needed. Managing and succeeding in both venues will be pivotal for success.

@KatsOnTop asked: What were your thoughts when you first saw the stadium

renovation plans (field house and press box)? And what would you like to see next?

Longo: After viewing the plans for the renovation to Bowers Stadium, there were a number of things that excited me moving forward. The club seating, luxury suites, and amenities for the fans will all obviously add to the game day experience and provide increased revenue. I am also excited about the training table we will have in the new facility for our program. Training table is a pivotal part of our overall player development program. Moving forward, we are currently evaluating every aspect of the football program, to assess how we can improve each area. A process we will go through each year!

@Samsquatch1879 asked: How confident [are you] regarding the defensive side of the ball?

Longo: I do not and will not have a true evaluation of the defense, offense or special teams until after we complete Spring Football. It is very difficult to assess what true talent we have until our players are in pads and have a chance to demonstrate what they are capable of on the field. All programs have weaknesses and spring ball will provide us with an opportunity to identify those weaknesses and attack the issues. I can say that the defense will always be a priority, which I know can be a concern for some when the Head Coach is deemed an offensive coach. I am strictly a TEAM guy, so prioritizing each aspect appropriately will not be an issue.

@GeneralSam0924 asked: Will [you] be taking the extra time for winter conditioning like KCK did last year after seeing how well it did for our program last year?

Longo: I am not aware of how they have done it in recent years at Sam, but I do feel that KC did a great job of planning out our spring so that we had ample time from a player development standpoint. That approach will not change. Individual player development both mentally & physically represents Phase One of our off-season program. Spring ball represents Phase Two, with the focus now being on Installation & Execution of the Special Teams, Defense & Offense. Phase Three will address our summer training in preparation for the upcoming season.

@shsuballknower asked: Coach Longo, I was wondering if you ever hit the weight room every now and then I’d love to know that my ball coach pumps iron Thanks Coach -BK

Longo: Lol. I am still consistently lifting 3x per week but I can’t hang with these big boys anymore. Hopefully, I can get back to swimming 4x a week much like I did during my last tour here. I will hit the heavybag daily, that will never change.

@Cinna_stacks asked: Do you prefer wing stop or bdubs? Jk Jk What are some of the biggest challenges you believe you will face as you lead the program and how do you plan to address them?

Longo: Neither. I prefer anything authentic/organic and/or with a Texas influence on the food front. Our biggest challenge will be to consistently improve each aspect of the program as we continue to make this transition to the FBS. Moving past the misconception that the transition is over is also important. The transition is a process, and our staff prefers building the program in a way that favors being able to sustain consistent success.

@notT2sw0le asked: How [do you] feel about the transfer portal madness and [do you] think the portal should be in the spring and not the fall?

Longo: The portal at the current time lacks parameters and consistency. I can’t speak for all coaches, but I feel most would agree on wanting parameters that don’t change constantly. I believe consistency gives everyone involved a chance to manage it more effectively. It would benefit the players, coaches, and the institutions.

@ballerness13 asked: What is the process when it comes to giving an offer to a

transfer/high school player?

Longo: Identification, evaluation (film and live), and relationship development are the three things that lead to making a sincere scholarship offer to a prospective recruit. No need to make it anymore difficult than that!

@SSN_SHSU asked: There were a couple questions from fans about the QB and RB room. Given they are stacked with talent, are there any immediate front runners or will it all come down to a position battle?

Longo: From a staff standpoint, we couldn’t tell you which rooms are more talented than others right now. We would hope that we continue to recruit, develop depth in every room, and create competition battles at every position. Iron sharpens iron!

@Kats_With_A_K asked: Do you have any hobbies? What do you enjoy most when you aren't coaching?

Longo: Family, football and people are my three priorities. Not much time for anything else. My family will always come first, and that approach is extended to our players and our staff. Football has been a major adrenaline rush since the first day I put pads on. Wouldn’t be here enjoying either of these things if I wasn’t blessed with being around so many incredible people over the years. I try to pay if forward and do for others what so many have done for me and my family. If there is any free time after all that, you’ll find me on the ocean somewhere, country music playin, food grillin, with family or football family nearby.

@SSN_SHSU asked: There were a ton of questions about the DC position. Since that has recently been announced, What can you tell us about how your staff is coming together and what ultimately led you to your OC/DC hires?

Longo: The DC hire was no different than any position. The parameters for me will always be the same. Great character (an absolute must), proven developer of talent, and a great recruiter. I cannot tell you how hard that is to find. Then it has to be done 12 times. 3 coordinators, 7 position coaches, 1 strength coach and a General Manager. I am very proud of the staff we have assembled here. Great fathers, great husbands and I am honored to coach with them.

@KATatonic asked: Other than Sam Houston, what was your favorite place to coach

and why?

Longo: I have been so blessed in my life to have had the experiences I’ve had. We have treated each chapter as its own and appreciated it. Its almost like ranking your kids; pretty tough to do. I think everyone knows by now though, how honored we are to be back in Texas and back at Sam. Not ducking the question, just a tough one to answer.

@DetroitKat asked: What [do you] think of the current CUSA landscape, especially with the addition of MO ST and Delaware this coming season? Also, [paraphrased] How much interaction did you have with KCK during the interview process? If any, did he give you any insight on where the program is heading?

Longo: I am looking forward to learning what C-USA is all about. The landscape in each conference is different. SEC, B10, ACC, MVC, Southland, etc… they have all had their own theme and character to them. Missouri State and UDel certainly deepen the field in C-USA and will make the road to the Championship Game even more difficult. We will focus on the Bearkats and see where that takes us. Although we keep in touch, I actually did not communicate with KC during the process until we caught up with each other on the sideline at the New Orleans Bowl.