FLORENCE, Ala. (December 19, 2025) – University of North Alabama head football coach Brent Dearmon added a key piece to the defensive room Friday evening, officially announcing Josh Long to the position of defensive line coach. He will begin his role on Jan. 1, 2026.
 
Long comes to UNA from Memphis, where he was a defensive quality control analyst. With Long on staff, Memphis finished the regular season with an 8-4 overall record and played in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa, Fla. today against NC State.
 
Long also spent the 2024 season on staff, helping the Tigers go 11-2 with a pair of Power Four wins over Florida State and West Virginia. The Tigers also knocked off SEC foe Arkansas and No. 18 South Florida in 2025.
 
Long primarily worked with the nose guards in 2024 and the ends and edge rushers in 2025. He was also the primary signal caller on game days.
 
"Josh Long immediately makes us better," said Dearmon. "Josh has helped recruit and develop one of the best defensive lines in all of college football at Memphis. As a former DL that played FCS football in the state of Alabama, he knows what it takes to be a great DL."
 
While at Memphis, Long assisted the development of two-time First Team All-AAC selection William Whitlow Jr. His four-year career included 21.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks, including 13.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks with Long on staff. Long was also part of a defensive staff that ranked first in FBS for forced fumbles and among the top 20 teams in sacks and tackles for loss.
 
Prior to Memphis, Long was a defensive lineman at the FCS level with stops at Samford and Alabama State. He played three seasons at Samford, then played one final season at Alabama State after COVID-19. He appeared in 36 games over those four seasons in Birmingham and Montgomery.
 
After his playing career, he became a graduate assistant at Alabama State and spent the 2022 season in that role. He coached multiple all-conference selections and the SWAC leader in sacks, Nelson Jordan II. In 2023, he was the defensive line coach, special teams coordinator and academic coordinator at Kentucky Christian.
 
"I'm extremely excited to join the University of North Alabama and be part of this program," said Long. "UNA has a strong tradition, great people and a vision that aligns with who I am as a coach. I've spent six years being a part of college football in the state of Alabama, which has incredible talent, and I can't wait to get to work with our players and recruit this state. We will compete on a daily basis in all facets of life — academically, on the football field and in everything we do with a strong focus on developing complete, competitive young men. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with this staff and invest in our players both on and off the field."
 
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