With the positive changes in college and athletic department leadership at Chadron State College, the team, led by Coach Long and student-athletes Senior Linebacker Xavier Harrell and Junior Wide Receiver Tommy "Tom" Thomas, are determined to stick to the same game plan of having a hard work mentality.

At the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Football Media Day in Denver, Long opened by expressing his appreciation for RMAC Commissioner Chris Graham and his team and sending his well wishes to retired athletic director Joel Smith. Long also shared his excitement about newcomers and how the team's leadership will significantly impact the season.

CSC received 39 votes, putting the Eagles in seventh place in the 2024 Football Preseason Coaches' Poll. "We are a development program because we are bringing in freshmen," says Coach Long.

All-RMAC Wide Receiver Thomas, who spoke on CSC being the only school that showed interest in him coming out of high school, changed hearts and minds as he led the Eagles offensively with ten touchdowns. His optimism about the upcoming season, "With all of the receivers coming back, we should have a good year…" is sure to instill hope in the hearts of the fans.

Jay Long spoke on his team's success: "The recipe for football winning is that we must play great defense, have special teams, and, offensively, have excellent skill positions." The team is working towards this strategy, focusing on all aspects of the game to ensure a successful season.

Junior Linebacker Xavier Harrell, who earned All-RMAC Honorable Mention and shared tackling honors during the 2023 campaign with senior Joey Geil, spoke about his confidence in the Eagles' defense and his versatility on the field: "Our front seven is looking good, and it is nice to have the return of many people. It is nice to establish our game plan and mesh as a team. I will play wherever I need to be."

Long added, "Every team would love to have two first-team all-conference D-linemen up front, and we are very fortunate to have that. It definitively makes everything better. These players are crucial in our defensive strategy, as they draw double-teams, freeing up space for our linebackers and helping our cover long. We will lean on our defense and the season's progress. With our special teams and our punters, and kickers returning and all-conference, this helps us with our recipe for football winning."

All shared their excitement for seven home games, specifically Harrell and Thomas speaking about the advantage of being well rested for the first three home games and the fan excitement. As for the University of Nebraska Kearney (UNK) rivalry, Long is excited about the three-year "trophy" game. When asked about the name, Long shared that he polled the alumni, and in keeping with the State's national marketing campaign to promote Nebraska as a great place to live, work, and raise a family, he is embracing "The Good Life Trophy."

Chadron State opens its season on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against UNK on the campus of CSC. Tickets are on sale now at chadronstate.hometownticketing.com