SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Shippensburg University Football hired Brayden Long on Tuesday as a full-time assistant coach in charge of quarterbacks and wide receivers, and named current offensive line coach Drew Gallardy as its offensive coordinator.
 
Long joins the SU coaching staff after a standout collegiate career as a quarterback for Slippery Rock University, where he was a Harlon Hill and Campbell Trophy finalist. He arrives at Shippensburg after beginning his coaching career at Towson, having spent the last seven months as an offensive quality control coach and assistant quarterbacks coach for the Tigers.
 
"Brayden is a welcome addition to our staff," said head coach Mark 'Mac' Maciejewski. "He is an intelligent young man who represents himself well. He is extremely knowledgeable about quarterback play, schemes and techniques. I'm excited that he now has the opportunity to show what he is capable of as a full-time coach and I'm glad he's on our side."
 
Gallardy returned to his alma mater last summer as an assistant in charge of the Raider offensive line. He will maintain that role this season in addition to his duties as the team's offensive coordinator.
 
In selecting Gallardy as coordinator, Maciejewski cited his loyalty, character, and extensive work in helping to improve the SU offensive line.
 
"Coach Gallardy has continued to exhibit the values of a Raider as a coach after having done so as a player and a captain," Maciejewski noted. "He is a loyal member of our staff who is well respected by our players. He has extensive experience coaching both sides of the football and I am confident that he is going to put us in a position to succeed."
 
Last fall, Long was named one of eight finalists for the Hill Trophy (Division II Player of the Year) after throwing for 3,470 yards (third nationally) and 28 touchdowns (ninth nationally). He was starting quarterback and team captain for a Slippery Rock team that earned a 12-2 record, the No. 3 national ranking and reached the NCAA Division II National Semifinals. He was also a Hill Trophy finalist in 2023.
 
"I am fired up about [this opportunity]," Long stated. "I grew up going to Shippensburg games. I am very familiar with the university and the football program itself. I was fortunate enough to be recruited by Coach Mac, so we go back to the recruiting process and those days of going to Prospect Camp and stayed connected."
 
In his two years as starter, Long led The Rock to a 24-4 overall record. He is Slippery Rock football's all-time leader in career completions and completion percentage and is second in program history in career touchdown passes and passing yardage.
 
"As a quarterback you are naturally a leader. I think that is one of my best qualities," Long added, "I've learned so much playing football. Just looking back on all of the life lessons that football has taught me, I want to give some of that back. If I can give half back of what I've learned and what I've grown to be in the world of football, then I'll be a successful coach one day. That is what I ultimately want to do."
 
Long's résumé is just as impressive off the gridiron.
 
In October, he was the only Division II player to be named one of 16 finalists for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy, an award presented by the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame to the nation's premier scholar-athlete for all levels of college football. The Campbell Trophy is considered the "Academic Heisman."
 
He was named the 2024 Academic All-American of the Year for Division II Football and was the First Team quarterback on the Academic All-America ® team after earning his degree in sport management from Slippery Rock with a perfect 4.0 GPA.
 
Long is a two-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He is a two-time All-PSAC selection (2023, 2024) and was the 2023 PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Year.
 
A South Central Pennsylvania native, Long was an All-State selection at New Oxford High School. He graduated from New Oxford as the Adams County career leader in both passing yards and touchdown passes.
 
Long replaces KiJuan Ware, who resigned in late June to become the head football coach at Augsburg (Minn.) University.