Wisconsin Badgers

Phil Longo served as the Badgers' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from January 2023 until Nov. 17, 2024.

In his first season directing the Badgers' offensive attack in 2023, Longo implemented Air Raid principles to drive the Badgers to new records in the passing game. Wisconsin tallied 469 pass attempts and 281 completions in 2023, both UW all-time records. The Badgers' 2,862 passing yards ranked fourth all-time in program history. Despite the passing output, Badger QBs only threw five interceptions, tied for the second-fewest in a UW season ever. Despite missing time due to a broken hand, QB Tanner Mordecai finished the season strong by leading Wisconsin to rivalry wins over Nebraska and Minnesota before posting his best passing performance in the ReliaQuest Bowl versus LSU. Mordecai's 378 passing yards in Tampa were the fifth-most in UW history.

On the ground, Longo utilized running backs Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi to start the season. Mellusi suffered a season-ending leg injury in Wisconsin's win over Purdue and Allen battled nagging ailments throughout the 2023 season. Allen finished with 984 yards and 3,494 for his career, the ninth-most in program history.

Wisconsin finished the 2023 season leading the Big Ten with a 44.2% conversion rate on third down.

Longo joined the Wisconsin football staff as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Jan. 3, 2023. Longo arrived in Madison after three seasons holding the same position at North Carolina.

FEATURED: Lucas: Long's 'Air Raid' to be built on Badgers' foundation
 
As one of the top coaches in college football with more than 25 years of experience running his offense, Longo had success directing the Tar Heels’ offensive attack over his four seasons in Chapel Hill. Since the beginning of 2019, Longo’s first season, the Tar Heels ranked first in the ACC with 10,074 total rushing yards (197.5 per game) and second in the conference with 102 rushing scores.
 
Through the air, North Carolina’s offense ranked first in the ACC in passing yards (14,781), passing touchdowns (131) and passer rating (161.6) over Longo’s three-year tenure. From 2019-2022, UNC totaled 30 more scrimmage yards per game than any other offense in the conference, racking up 487.4 yards per game. The Tar Heels’ 36.1 points per game under Longo ranked third in the ACC.

UNC offense under Longo – 2019-2022
 

Category	ACC Rank	Power-5 Rank	Value
Passing Yards	1st	3rd	14,781
Passing TDs	1st	4th	131
Passer Rating	1st	4th	161.6
Rushing Yards	1st	4th	10,074
Total Offense	1st	5th	487.4
Scoring	3rd	9th	36.1

In 2022, Longo’s passing attack earned PFF College’s highest grade in the nation (90.6). Longo helped quarterback Drake Maye throw for a school record 4,115 passing yards, to rank 3^rd in the nation. Maye threw for 35 scores and only seven interceptions, ranking first in the ACC and fifth in the nation in passing touchdowns. In 2022, the Tar Heel offense ranked first in the ACC in passing yards per game (317.2), second in passing TDs (35), second in total offense (473.6 ypg) and third in points per game (35.0).
 
Longo’s 2021 offense also thrived, despite the departure of four NFL Draft picks. The Tar Heels posted 35.2 ppg (19th NCAA/3rd ACC) and 468.2 ypg (10th NCAA/3rd ACC), while leading the ACC (17th NCAA) in rushing yards with 2,763. The UNC rushing attack earned PFF College’s highest rushing grade among Power 5 schools (94.3). The 2021 campaign marked the second consecutive season that UNC led the ACC in rushing yards. Individually, QB Sam Howell produced another stellar season, throwing for 3,056 yards and 24 TDs, while rushing for 827 yards (1,100 minus sack yardage) and 11 TDs. Over his three seasons, Howell set 27 school records, including passing yards, passing TDs, pass efficiency and total offense.
 
Longo’s 2020 unit set a number of school records and was one of the most explosive offenses in ACC history. The unit averaged 537.2 yards per game and 41.7 points per game, both UNC records. Once again, the Tar Heels balance was evident as they rushed for 235.8 ypg (11th NCAA/2nd ACC) and passed for 301.4 ypg (18th NCAA/2nd ACC). They also led the conference in both pass efficiency (177.6 rating/7th NCAA) and first downs (317/2nd NCAA). Due to the offenses success, running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams and wide receiver Dyami Brown each earned All-America honors, while being finalists or semifinalists for national positional awards. QB Sam Howell continued his brilliant career, throwing for 3,586 yards and 30 TDs behind a 68.1 completion percentage. Howell’s 68 TD passes over his first two seasons set the ACC record for most TD passes through a sophomore season.
 
In 2019, Longo’s balanced attack averaged 474 yards per game (285.8p/188.2r), which ranked third on UNC’s single-season list and 12th nationally. The offense’s 33.1 points per game ranked fifth on UNC’s single-season list, 30th nationally and second in the ACC. Under Longo’s guidance, QB Sam Howell set UNC freshman records in completions (259), attempts (422), passing yards (3,641) and passing TDs (38). Howell’s 38 TD passes were the most by a true freshman in FBS history and the second most by a freshman (true or redshirt) in ACC history. He led the ACC in both passing yards and TDs
 
Prior to his time in Chapel Hill, Longo engineered two successful seasons at Ole Miss, producing top-20 units both years. In 2018, his offense ranked seventh nationally in yards per play (7.1), ninth in total offense (510.5 ypg), fifth in passing offense (346.4), 25th in red zone offense (88.9) and 33rd in scoring offense (33.9). The Rebels finished the year sixth on the SEC’s all-time list for passing yards per game and were first in the nation in first down production.
 
During his tenure in Oxford, Ole Miss ranked highly in the SEC and nationally in a handful of key offensive categories.

Ole Miss offense under Longo – 2017-2018
 

Category	SEC Rank	Power-5 Rank	Value
Passing Yards	1st	5th	337.4 ypg
Passer Rating	3rd	7th	155.5
Total Offense	2nd	5th	486.4
Scoring	5th	18th	33.4

 
Rebels WR A.J. Brown earned various All-America honors in Longo’s system, while offensive lineman Greg Little claimed second-team All-America honors. Brown, Little and WR D.K. Metcalf were all selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
 
Before arriving at Ole Miss, Longo engineered one of the nation’s best FCS offenses at Sam Houston State. He guided the Bearkats to the FCS Playoffs in each of his three seasons, while shattering the record books. The 2016 team went 12-1 and boasted the nation’s No. 1 total offense (547.3 ypg), No. 2 scoring offense (49.5 ppg), No. 2 passing offense (368.3 ypg) and No. 37 rushing offense (179.0 ypg) out of 122 FCS teams. Longo was named FCS Coordinator of the Year by FootballScoop following the season.
 
In Longo’s three years on head coach K.C. Keeler’s staff, SHSU won the Southland Conference twice (2014, 2016) and compiled a 34-10 overall record. The Bearkats advanced to the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs in 2014 and ‘15 and the quarterfinals in ‘16, while rising as high as No. 1 in the FCS national polls in both 2015 and ‘16.
 
In 2015, Sam Houston’s 7,975 total yards set a Southland Conference season record and ranked third all-time in NCAA Division I FCS history. The Bearkats led the nation in total offense (531.7 ypg) and first downs per game (27.6). They ranked No. 5 in scoring (41.1 ppg) and No. 9 in rushing (254.5 ypg), while also ranking 14th in third-down conversions (45.7 percent).
 
The 1,275 plays run by Longo’s offense in 2015 were also a league record. Three times over his three seasons SHSU ran more than 100 plays in a game, including a school-record 118 plays in the 2015 NCAA opening-round victory over Southern Utah.
 
In 2014, Longo’s attack led the Southland in rushing (241.6 ypg, 9th nationally) and red zone offense (90 percent, 8th nationally).
 
Longo began his tenure at Slippery Rock as wide receivers coach in 2011 before assuming the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach duties in 2012. In his first year as OC, Longo installed his offense which resulted in The Rock averaging 34.8 points and 407.3 total yards per game.
 
 In his second year as offensive coordinator in 2013, the Longo-led Rock Air Raid averaged 43.3 points and 536.5 yards per game. The no-huddle attack finished the nation ranked fourth nationally in total offense, sixth in passing offense and eighth in both scoring offense and first downs.
 
In 2010, Longo served as the receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Youngstown State, where he mentored first-team all-conference pick senior Dominique Barnes (signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions). Barnes set a school record by catching a pass in 34 consecutive games and finished his career ranked second in school history in receptions.
 
Prior to joining the YSU staff, Longo spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Southern Illinois, helping the program post a 15-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference record and back-to-back conference championships. SIU was 20-5 overall during Longo's tenure as offensive coordinator.
In 2009, The Salukis reached the FCS Quarterfinals before losing to William & Mary. SIU was 11-2 overall and undefeated (8-0) in the MVFC. Southern Illinois spent seven weeks as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation.
 
In 2008, Longo directed a Saluki attack that featured a 1,000-yard rusher in Larry Warner and a passing game that was ranked No. 2 in the conference. These accomplishments were even more impressive since Southern had to replace 8 of 11 starters including all of its skill positions.
 
Prior to SIU, Longo was the offensive coordinator under Bubba Schweigert at University of Minnesota-Duluth (2006-07). UMD's offense ranked at or near the top in most offensive categories including second in passing offense both seasons.
 
From 2004-05, Longo served as head coach at LaSalle. During his time at the LaSalle helm, Longo produced two MAAC Offensive Player of the Year award winners, five All-Americans and 13 All-MAAC selections. His 2004 offense ranked second in the nation among Division I-AA mid-major schools. In addition, he oversaw an offensive unit that established 19 school records and finished first in the MAAC.
 
Longo joined LaSalle after serving as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator at William Paterson University (2000-01). In 2001, William Paterson sported one of the top offenses in Division III. The Pioneer offense finished with the third-highest scoring average in school history while equaling or setting 27 school records.
 
Longo began his coaching career in the high school ranks. As head coach at Parsippany Hills High School, Longo took over a program with a winning percentage of .217 over the 33 years prior to his arrival. Longo left as the winningest coach in school history. In 1999, his team competed in and won the 11th highest scoring game in the history of high school football. Longo earned NJ Star Ledger and Daily Record Coach of the Year honors in 1999 and was awarded the Sportsmanship, Ethics & Integrity Award by the National Federation of State High School Associations.
 
A Bayville, N.J. native, Longo began his collegiate playing career at East Stroudsburg University, where he played quarterback in 1987. The following year, he transferred to Rowan University, where he played from 1988-1991. As a running back at Rowan, he was a member of the school's first New Jersey Athletic Conference championship and NCAA Division III playoff team as a senior. He earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Rowan in 1992.
 
Longo and his wife Tanya are the parents of daughters Gianna, Macaria and Morgan, and son, Nico.

Personal
Hometown: Bayville, N.J.
Wife: Tanya
Children: daughters, Gianna, Macaria and Morgan, and son, Nico
Education: Rowan ‘92
 

Longo's Coaching Career
Year	School/Team	Position
1996-99	Parsippany Hills HS - N.J.	Head Coach
2000-01	William Paterson	Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator
2002-03	La Salle	Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator
2004-05	La Salle	Head Coach
2006-07	Minnesota Duluth	Offensive Coordinator
2008-09	Southern Illinois	Offensive Coordinator
2010	Youngstown State	Wide Receivers
2011	Slippery Rock	Wide Receivers
2012-13	Slippery Rock	Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2014-16	Sam Houston State	Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2017-18	Ole Miss	Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2019-22	North Carolina	Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2023-present	Wisconsin	Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks