It’s been a busy start to June for 2023 St. Peter’s Prep (NJ) quarterback Robert “Champ” Longas the 6-foot-1, 202-pound prospect trekked through Duke, Maryland, Rutgers, Penn State, North Carolina, and South Carolina and were fresh off a camp to Florida State. Union City offensive coordinator Lamar McKnight, Long’s quarterback coach, made the trip back home with Long on Saturday and took time to hash out what they were thinking after the round of trips. Turns out it was the exact conversation that made his commitment come to fruition.
“We just got back from Florida State and in the airport talking about it, what’s the update on Maryland, how are we feeling on Maryland and he’s like ‘honestly coach, I feel at home when I went there. [Henry] Baker has been loyal to me since day one,’” McKnight told Inside the Black & Gold. “He’s like I want to give my verbal to Maryland. I don’t want to mess around with those who truly believe in me and those who truly have a plan for me. He said ‘I want to give a verbal. If they can honor my verbal, I want to give a verbal’. I spoke to Baker and he said, “hell yeah.” In Long’s, it was the decision he felt most comfortable with.
“It was just a good environment with the coaches, how they coached at the camp,” Long told Inside the Black & Gold. “It was just very family-oriented when I was taking a little tour of the facilities and seeing a couple of the guys come out of the weight room. Just really family-oriented and I really liked that about it.”
Long made it into College Park on Wednesday to workout for the Terps, impressing the staff with his crisp throws while flashing his mobility. “I was always confident in myself and my abilities and show them what I can do,” Long added. The Connecticut native took a tour of the facility and noted the weight room as his favorite part. Cornerbacks coach Henry Baker led the way in Long’s recruitment as the former Terp himself continues to give the program a strong foothold in New Jersey. A genuine and driven assistant, Long said that he and Baker connected each week as their relationship transitioned just as well in-person. “The way he comes off, just a great dude. You can tell he really cares about his recruits, the team, where they’re headed. All the coaches, they’re all the same way. They’re all open, just a good place to be.”
The family atmosphere that head coach Mike Locksley frequently references was duly noted by Long, setting the expectation heading into the visit. That feeling didn’t disappoint. “He said, ‘Maryland and coach Locks, they made me feel like I was already on the roster,” McKnight added. The chance to connect with offensive coordinator Dan Enos and head coach Mike Locksley was the icing on the cake. “I think him getting on campus and feeling the love from Enos, feeling the love from Locksley. They Facetimed as soon as they could contact ‘Champ,’ they literally said he was one of the first ’23 guys they contacted. Just being out there and being on campus, seeing the new facilities, and getting out there and getting respect. They offered him way before he went to camp and he lit it up and then they re-offered like ‘hey man, it’s official.’ I think just him going there and feeling at home, feeling the love from the players, just feeling the love helped make the decision.”
With his decision behind him, Long will now step into the starting role at St. Peter’s Prep. He transferred from Fairfield Prep (CT) to St. Peter’s Prep (NJ) following his freshman year as he sat behind Virginia Tech signee Tahj Bullock one season ago. Confidence has never been a question for Long, but McKnight revealed that he’s only beginning to scratch the surface in his game.
“What I think the biggest part of Champ’s game is just how he’s matured the last two years,” he said. “Just to see him go from being a guy who goes into a game and knows he’s a playmaker to now, the last year and a half, working on everything from above the shoulders. I just think he’s allowed himself to mature as an overall quarterback than just a playmaker and he’s become more poised, his tempo on his drops are better, his ball placements are better. He officially weighed in at 6-1, 202 at Florida State this week. He’s allowed himself to mature into the position and become basically a robot at the position. His whole demeanor has changed and I just think it’s going to help him have better results on the field because again, he’s going in with a plan. He’s understanding coverages, he’s understanding fronts, he’s understanding schemes, he’s understanding defense more than he understands his very own offense. He’s getting a better feel for the game and it’s showing tremendously. He’s anticipating better, he’s threading the needle when he has to, throwing with more trajectory when he has to. Just him understanding and having a full grasp of the position has allowed him to become a top-tier Power Five guy.”
Long isn’t looking to put anything specific on film this fall but he knows he can impact the game whether through the air or on the ground. “I’m really mobile. I can make throws on the run, run the ball, put my shoulder down if I have to but at the same time, I’m smart with my decision-making and getting out of bounds.” Long will still have two years before arrives in College Park but he’s ready to close out his high school career knowing his college decision is already made.
“I was happy that I was comfortable with my decision and now I’m just focused on being the best quarterback and teammate,” Long said. “I’m coming there with a championship attitude. I’m ready to lead the guys and lead us to a national championship.”