Steven Long, PSU running back and former Lake Oswego star, to have brain surgery
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Portland State running back Steven Long, the 2011 Class 6A offensive player of the year at Lake Oswego, will have surgery to remove a growth on his brain in the coming days.
Long suffered a seizure while sleeping Thursday morning and went to OHSU Hospital, where the growth was discovered. Portland State sports information director Mike Lund said the surgery will be Sunday or Monday at OHSU.
Vikings coach Nigel Burton, who was with Long at the hospital Thursday morning, said doctors don’t know about the nature of the growth.
“They won’t really know until they open him up and take it out,” Burton said. “Steven is handling it a lot better than I am or anybody else I know. He’s just an unbelievable young man. I think a case study should be done on how to handle adversity by using him.”
Long was adopted from a Haitian orphanage at age 4 by Jeff and Angie Long, who met him while on a missions trip. Despite his small stature, the 5-foot-7, 175-pound Long rushed for nearly 5,000 yards during his high school career at Class 5A Sherwood and Class 6A Lake Oswego.
As a senior, he rushed for 2,205 yards and 37 touchdowns in helping the Lakers to a 14-0 record and their first state championship. He ran for 322 yards and four scores in a 47-14 win over Sheldon in the state final.
Long greyshirted at Portland State last season because of an Achilles injury, joining the team for the first time during the winter. His teammates have rallied around him as he prepares for surgery, Burton said.
“We love him,” Burton said. “He’s got an extended family. Shoot, once I told the team, they’ve been pretty much going nonstop to the hospital. They’re probably wearing out the staff over there.”
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