Rocky Long Agrees to Contract Extension

SAN DIEGO - San Diego State football head coach Rocky Long has agreed to a two-year contract extension through the 2017 season, SDSU Director of Athletics Jim Sterk announced Thursday.

Long, the Mountain West's all-time leader in coaching victories, led the Aztecs to a 9-4 overall record in 2012 and a share of the MW title with a 7-1 mark en route to earning league coach of the year honors. It was SDSU's first Mountain West championship and first league title since 1998. San Diego State was predicted to finish fifth in the preseason poll.

Long has gone 17-9 through his first two seasons on The Mesa and has guided the Aztecs to bowl games each year. The 17 wins are tied with Claude Gilbert (1973-74) for the most victories over his first two years as head coach of SDSU. Additionally, Long's 17-9 record (.654) is the third-best mark in school history, trailing only the legendary head coach Don Coryall (.840 from 1961-72) and Gilbert (.697 from 1973-80).

"I am very excited about the future of Aztec football under Rocky Long's leadership," Sterk said. "Coach Long has continued the growth and the success in all aspects of our program, while gaining more regional and national interest. I look forward to next season as we look to defend our Mountain West title."

In his career, Long has gone 82-78 (.513) over 13 seasons, including a 79-69 (.534) mark as a head coach in the Mountain West.

Prior to joining San Diego State in 2009 as a defensive coordinator, Long had a school-record 65 victories at New Mexico from 1998-2008, where he led the Lobos to five bowl game appearances over his final seven seasons. To put that accomplishment in perspective, consider that since 1984; UNM is 60-151 (.284) with only three six-plus win seasons in 18 campaigns without Long at the helm.

Before accepting the head coaching position at New Mexico, Long served as defensive coordinator for 12 seasons at three different schools (UCLA from 1996-97, Oregon State from 1991-95 and Wyoming from 1981-85). He also was an assistant coach at TCU, with the CFL's British Columbia team and started his career as a graduate assistant coach in 1972.