Heart surgery couldn't sack Long Tran.
Tran, a defensive end for the Carnegie Mellon University Tartans, returned to the starting lineup last year after sitting out the 2017 season following heart surgery to stop premature ventricular contractions, or extra, abnormal heartbeats. He recorded 39 tackles, including 7.5 sacks in his comeback season.
A month into this season, Tran, who is pursuing an integrated master's degree in mechanical engineering, continues to shine. He has helped lead the Tartans to a 4-0 mark, including a 36-14 upset victory over 13th ranked Washington & Jefferson College. Through four games, Tran had 16 tackles, 6.0 sacks, and 7.0 tackles for loss.
"There's something special about this team," said Tran, who earned his bachelor's degree in both mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering in May. "That's why I came back."
