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Vanderbilt sophomore linebacker Bryan Longwell has been one of the stars of a Commodores team that is one of the biggest surprises of the college football season.
But coming out of high school, Longwell didn’t initially want to play for Vandy. Instead, Longwell committed to the Auburn Tigers. That is, until Hugh Freeze and his staff told Longwell that he was surplus to requirement.
Freeze and co. cut ties with Longwell at 6 a.m on Christmas Day 2022, and Longwell did not forget.
Dec 5 2022: Auburn texts LB Bryan Longwell at the crack of dawn on Xmas morning that they don’t want him.
Today: Vandy beats Auburn 17-7 and Longwell drops the receipt!!! https://t.co/iTVsEn5K9X
— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) November 2, 2024
After the Commodores beat Auburn 17-7 at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2018, Longwell shared the message he received from Auburn coaches on social media, as well as a message back to those very same coaches.
“Bryan I’m sorry buddy we’re not gonna sign a HS LB this class more than likely,” the message read. “You’re a great player with a bright future! Hope you and yours have a Merry Christmas!”
Longwell’s message back was simple.
“Merry Christmas,” he tweeted alongside a present emoji.
In the two seasons since refusing to take Longwell’s commitment, Freeze and the Tigers are just 9-12.
Saturday’s contest also marked Freeze’s third-straight year with a loss to Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia.
Pavia beat Freeze’s Liberty team 49-14 in 2022 as the starting quarterback at New Mexico State. He then beat Auburn 31-10 with NMSU in 2023 before transferring to Vanderbilt during the offseason and won 17-7 on Saturday.
Clark Lea’s Vandy team is full of players who took unconventional routes to get to where they are. But Lea the Commodores seem to have something special brewing down in Nashville.
As for Longwell, it’s nice to see him get a bit of revenge on the coaching staff that hung him out to in the worst possible fashion just two short years ago.