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GREENCASTLE, Ind. – Robby Long has wanted to be a head football coach. The opportunity came sooner than he expected.

On Friday, DePauw named the former Illini lineman as interim head coach. He replaces Matt Walker, who unexpectedly resigned.

"Obviously, I'm very excited about the challenge," Long said. "It's something that I've always thought about."

Before accepting the offer from DePauw athletic director Page Cotton, the 29-year-old Centennial graduate talked it over with his wife, Stacy.

"She was fired up about it, so we're moving forward," Long said.

Long has been at the school for five seasons, serving the last three as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for Walker.

"The odd thing about the situation is that Matt is a really good friend of mine," Long said. "The news, just hearing it, really caught me off guard and hurt a little bit. It's definitely not the circumstance that I wanted to be head football coach, but this is a dream. I've had the opportunity to work at a great institution. I get to represent the student body, the faculty and the staff as their head football coach, and I'm really looking forward to it."

The Tigers are coming off an 8-2 season and are the nation's preseason No. 25 team, according to D3football.com. USA Today Sports Weekly ranks DePauw at No. 19 going into the season.

"We've won a lot of games," Long said. "We haven't gotten to the playoffs since I got here, so that goal is still out there for us."

Long isn't the only former Illini on the DePauw staff. Dustin Ward is the team's offensive coordinator, and Bobby Jackson works with the team's defensive backs and special teams.

"The staff is unbelievable," Long said. "We're going to function very well together."

They welcome back a talented team, including starting quarterback Spud Dick, the school's career passing leader. The starting tailback returns. Seven starters are back on defense.

Long doesn't know exactly what the interim label means. There are meetings planned at the school for next week.

"We'll fight through this together as a team and get ready for the 2009 campaign," Long said.

DePauw doesn't open training camp until Aug. 17. The Tigers open the season Sept. 12 at Anderson.

"Most of the hay is in the barn as far as all the prep work and getting everything ready for camp," Long said.