Son Emerges From Long Shadow

It was a turning point for Long that has carried over to this season. Long's greatness is both obvious and subtle. At 6 feet 4, 280 pounds, he chases ballcarriers like a maniac, like someone who is afraid.

But a defensive end in the 3-4 alignment favored by Al Groh is designed to be anonymous. Long is responsible for plugging two gaps every play, not just charging upfield like typical ends. Asked how often he sees Long do something amazing that a fan would not notice, Groh responded, "Every play."

Defensive ends in the 3-4 shouldn't pile up gaudy stats. But Long has 40 tackles, second on the team, and eight sacks, fifth in the nation. "That's unreal," Sintim said.

"I've only had the pleasure to coach one other player who was as dominant in his level of competition as Chris is: 56" Groh said. He meant Lawrence Taylor.

Long's performance has made his father's shadow vanish. When Grossman was a freshman living down the hall from Long, other students asked him, "Does Howie ever come by the dorms?" This year, when Grossman's living arrangements come up, no one mentions Howie. Instead, he's grilled with, "Oh my God, you live with Chris Long?"

"I feel more pressure," Long said. "Now I have my own name that I have to uphold every day when I play. Now, people look at you for who you are. That's a blessing, but also, you have to be cognizant of the fact that things change. You have to watch out for your own name."

The Nerd

Attending college so close to home allows for some perks -- laundry day, for instance. On Wednesday night, Kyle Long, the middle brother, came to Chris's house with a basket of sheets their mother had washed.

Long looks after his brothers fiercely. When Kyle was choosing a college and a sport, Long told him, "Do what you love." When Kyle needs help on an essay in high school, he asks Chris.

"He's a better writer than he is a football player," Kyle said.

As chaotic as Chris is on the field, he's calm off it. He likes to go camping or tubing on a lake. He discusses music almost every night with Grossman. He has the messiest room in the house. He's a Discovery Channel devotee.

"He's a nerd," Kyle said. "It'll be Saturday night. 'You going out, Chris?' He'll say, 'Nah, I'm watching "Planet Earth," man.' He sits there by himself watching polar bears."

Said Grossman: "If it wasn't for his stature, he could fit in anywhere. He's smart and witty, and if it wasn't for football, he would a great student here."

Of course, he's not like everyone else. Even when he relaxes, football never leaves his mind. During spring break, he thinks about spring practice. In the summertime, camp is around the corner.

"He's afraid he's going to get beat by somebody," Kyle said.

On Saturday, Long and the Cavaliers will play Maryland on national television, perhaps the most important game of their season. During the telecast, ESPN2 will likely show clips of Howie.

Howie hates that. Chris doesn't mind so much. But the fear is still there. And it's not going away.

"It increases," Long said. "The higher the stakes, the more you feel pressure to perform. That's not a bad thing. For somebody to say they don't feel pressure, fine. That's just not me. I feel pressure. And I thrive on it."