University of Richmond Athletics
Mike London Tabbed AFCA National Coach of the Year
01/13/2009 | Football
Jan. 13, 2009
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- University of Richmond head coach Mike London has been named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS National Coach of the Year. London, who led the Spiders to the school's first-ever NCAA Championship, was honored along with Utah's Kyle Whittingham (FBS), Northwest Missouri State's Mel Tjeerdsma (D-II), Mount Union's Larry Kehres (D-III) and Sioux Falls' Kalen DeBoer (NAIA).
The winners will be recognized Tuesday evening at the AFCA Coach of the Year Dinner at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. The winners were selected by a vote of the active AFCA members (coaches at four-year schools) in the Association's five divisions. The AFCA has named a Coach of the Year since 1935. The award is the oldest and most prestigious of all the Coach of the Year awards and is the only one chosen exclusively by the coaches themselves.
With London at the helm, Richmond finished off its memorable title run with a convincing 24-7 triumph over fourth-seeded Montana in the FCS title game - its FCS-leading ninth-consecutive victory and its fourth-straight over a conference champion. The Spiders thumped Eastern Kentucky, 38-10, in the first round, dethroned second-seeded Appalachian State, 33-13, at The Rock in the quarterfinals and stunned third-seeded Northern Iowa, 21-20, with a fourth-quarter comeback at the deafening UNI-Dome in the semis.
The cupboard was full for London, 48, who was introduced as Richmond's head coach on January 19, 2008 - he won the national title 11 months to the day of his hire. The Spiders returned 16 starters from the 2007 team that won the CAA Championship, reached the National Semifinals for the first time and won a then-school record 11 games. The team is set to return 16 starters again in 2009.
The weapons were in place and London provided the ammunition, combining offensive efficiency with one of the nation's best defenses to take the team two wins further and capture the school's first NCAA title in any sport. Although finishing third in the rugged CAA Football South Division, the Spiders went 13-3 in 2008 to set a new school record for victories.
Under London's watch, junior QB Eric Ward eclipsed a single-season school record for completion percentage (64.1), senior TB Josh Vaughan put up numbers (1,884 yards, 20 TDs) that rivaled 2007 All-American Tim Hightower's, senior DE Lawrence Sidbury, Jr. collected 11.5 sacks and the Spiders shattered a school-record with 29 interceptions.
London is the second rookie head coach in as many years to earn National Coach of the Year honors from the AFCA, joining Valdosta State's David Dean who was the Division-II honoree last season.
