Jason Long

Jason Long was a Brigham Young University player and former Lone Peak High School standout football player. Jason died September 19, 2007 at the age of 21.

Lone Peak Career

Jason started playing football at the organized tackle level as an eighth grader in 2000. He got into his first action in prep action as a sophomore at safety versus Payson High School in 2002. That year, Lone Peak lost in the state championship game to Bountiful, a game in which Jason appeared. As a junior in 2003, Jason led the team to a region championship as a starting safety. The team lost in the state semifinals once again to Bountiful. As a senior, Jason was named first team all-state, but Lone Peak once again lost in the state championship, this time to Timpview High School, 42-0. Jason participated in drills with the BYU team during his senior year and after graduation.

Jason also ran track as a junior and senior, and played lacrosse, baseball, and basketball throughout his high school career.

After Lone Peak

Jason was recruited by numerous schools, including Florida, BYU, Utah, Utah State, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, and Air Force. Jason yearned to play for BYU, but had not received a scholarship, something other schools had offered him. He chose to serve a two-year LDS Church Mission to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Nine months into the mission, Jason was sent home with a serious bout of leukemia. He was admitted to the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, overlooking the Univeristy of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium. When Jason set foot in his room, he stated, "I will be playing there someday."

Jason overcame the leukemia with help from a bone marrow transplant from his five-year-old sister, Joleah. Jason had started working out again, and was on the phones daily with BYU coaches. In May, Jason was offered, and accepted, a scholarship from BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall for the 2009 season. But in July of 2007, the cancer reappeared, once again forcing Jason bedridden at the hospital. Jason's fight ended peacefully on September 19, 2007 around midnight at the Huntsman.

He was buried in a public funeral in Alpine, Utah. In attendance at his funeral was the BYU football team, as well as their coaches. Several University of Utah coaches and players attended, including head coach Kyle Wittingham. Jason's high school coach, Monte Morgan, spoke at the services.

On September 25, 2007, Jason's family attended BYU's football practice, where they were given Jason's college football jersey from BYU. Unfortunately, he never got to wear it.

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