This is a photograph of Springfield College's head football coach, Mike DeLong, coaching and talking to athletes (October 25, 2001). In the photograph, coach DeLong is on the right, wearing an SC hat with the letter "S" on it. He is talking to two athletes who wear the team jerseys and helmets. More football players can be seen in the background. DeLong, a 1974 graduate from Springfield, was a defensive lineman under Coach Ted Dunn for three seasons before attending the University of North Carolina, serving as volunteer graduate assistant defensive coach. By 1978, DeLong was defensive coordinator at Maine Maritime before becoming head coach in ’79, going 4-5 in his first year at the helm, followed by an 8-1 campaign in 1980 which was the best record in the program’s 35-year history. DeLong was named the New England Coach of the Year by United Press International and The Boston Herald-American while the Mariners won the New England Conference Championship. In 1981, DeLong returned to Springfield as the defensive coordinator before being promoted to head coach in 1984. DeLong led the Pride to 189 wins, the most of any Springfield College coach, including compiling 201 wins in his career (including 12 in his first head coaching position at Maine Maritime), wrapping up his career as the winningest active head coach in Division III football in New England. Coach DeLong retired after the 2015-2016 season. The back of the photograph says "125 NNNN 20A 10/25/01", indicating that it was printed on October 25, 2001.
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