ISU's Andrew Long ready
to start over again

BY MATT PFIFFNER
Publisher, The Predicament

Five years ago, Andrew Long was beginning his high school wrestling career at Creston as a 103-pounder who gave away about 20 pounds to everyone he wrestled. Getting by on pure talent, the undersized freshman Panther closed out the season with an eighth-place finish at the State Tournament in Class 2A.

Long grew into 103 as a sophomore and claimed the first of his three State Championships. He dominated the competition at 112 as a junior and 125 his senior season.

Now, after a redshirt year under his singlet, Long is looking for big things as the starter at 125 for the second-ranked Iowa State Cyclones. Never one to lack in confidence, Long said he learned a lot his first year in the ISU wrestling room.

"It definitely helps to have that extra year and know what to expect in different situations that you're going to be facing. I have a lot of confidence and a lot of confidence in the rest of the guys too," he said.

Long said he treated last year as if he was wrestling varsity for the Cyclones to prepare for the future.

"I try to keep my mind set whether the lights are on me or people are watching or not. You're always going to have nervous moments, you just have to learn to overcome and push through," he said. "I think I've been around the sport of wrestling long enough to know when crucial moments are happening and how to help me stay level."

First-year head coach Kevin Jackson said there are a lot of things to like about his freshman 125-pounder.

"I'm excited about Andrew Long. He's gotten his weight down to striking distances for 125 pounds. He's not a small 125-pounder," he said. "I like the way he competes. I like the way he trains. I like his focus. He's a young man that we're looking forward to not only this year performing at a high level, but for the next four years performing at a high level."

Someone else in the room who has a lot of confidence in Long is two-time All-American 141-pounder Nick Gallick.

"I think Andrew Long is awesome and he's going to have a great career. He's a really, really tough kid," Gallick said. "I expect him to have a great year this year. He doesn't lack experience. He's been wrestling nationally his whole life."

Gallick is just one of several seniors who will be in the lineup for the Cyclones this season. Long is one of the few new faces. He knows that means he needs to earn their respect, something he doesn't take lightly.

"It's kind of different because we have all those seniors. Right now I'm just trying to earn my stripes with them and I know that I've done that a couple times," Long said. " I'm pretty much setting my goals just as high as they're setting there's. I want to be one of the main supporters of our team's accomplishments. And if I need them for anything, I know they'll be there."

And if Long doesn't feel like there's any wrestlers in the room he can turn to, he knows he always has his older brother Dylan, who is a former UNI All-American, two-time State Champion at Creston and current ISU coach. Dylan Long was held over on the coaching staff after the departure of Cael Sanderson last spring to Penn State.

"It was pretty important. Probably even more than I know," Andrew said of having his brother stay in Ames. "Sometimes I notice he's here and sometimes I'm mad that he's here, because he's always on me. But it's a good thing to have. I'm just glad that I get to have it."

The coaching change may have not hit Long as tough as some of the upperclassmen who had spent several years with Sanderson, but Long said they are buying into the plan that Jackson and his staff have preached.

"Granted, it's going to be slightly less difficult for me than those guys who have been here for years. I did get to know (Sanderson) pretty well for just the little time he was here. It was difficult, because we had a good flow for what we were trying to do," Long said. "But we have a great new coaching staff here and I think we've all adjusted well. Everyone likes what we're doing and where we're at."

As for where he wants to be at when the season comes to a close in Omaha, Neb. next March, Long has always aimed for the top of the podium. To put himself in position to do that, the Cyclone freshman said he needs to just listen to his coaches and put in the work.

"I think I need to just stay to the plan. Don't deviate and try to stay locked in on what we're really working in the room and try to improve in those areas of technique," he said. "If I can get them down, I think we'll be looking good from there."

One thing on Long's side in his second go-around as a freshman, he won't be giving up 20 pounds to opponents this time around.