Local linebacker Bryan Longwell staying home
Vanderbilt isn’t finished with the 2023 class, as the Commodores land instate linebacker Bryan Longwell. The 6-foot-1 and 225-pound linebacker was down to Arizona State and Vanderbilt, but the Lipscomb defender chose to stay home on West End.
“My commitment went great. I got to sit down with Coach (Nick) Lezynski and Coach (Nick) Howell. I basically laid it out on why I was committing. They offered stuff that Arizona State couldn’t and that was proximity to home and a place where I feel like I can bond with the people, which is nice,” said Longwell.
“The Vanderbilt visit was awesome. I had a really good time. I really felt like I bonded with the players and the coaches. They have a great vision for what’s going on with the future of the program.”
Growing up in the Nashville area, Longwell is familiar with the Commodore program, but he was surprised by what he learned about the current culture at Vanderbilt.
“What stood out to me was the changing of the mindset around the building. I grew up in Nashville and around in Tennessee, so I’ve seen all those downs of Vanderbilt football. I was under the perception that they had a negative mindset and kind of a losing mindset,” said Longwell.
“Just going in the building and seeing all the energy and passion that is being involved in the program and trying to make it a great program in the SEC and bring it back to its glory days in the SEC is awesome to see.”
In addition to the changing of attitudes on West End, Vanderbilt is beginning to renovate the athletics facilities as well. Longwell is happy about the new changes, but that isn’t why he picked the local SEC program.
“They told me that facilities would be done by my junior year or something like that, but I’m not really in it for facilities. I’m in it to have good coaches with good people and play good football,” said Longwell.
Longwell helped lead Lipscomb to back-to-back state championships and a top 15 national ranking. He projects as an inside linebacker at Vanderbilt.
“They have me initially at MIKE backer. I’m more of a sideline to sideline fast kind of guy, so they plan on seeing where I fit as far as MIKE and WILL and seeing wherever I can get playing time the earliest,” said Longwell.
Longwell will sign with the Commodores on Wednesday, February 1st. He joins former Lipscomb teammate Maureice Sherrill at Vanderbilt.
