University of Richmond Athletics
Richmond's Mike London Steps Down To Accept Position As Virginia's Head Coach
12/07/2009 | Football
Dec. 7, 2009
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond announced Monday that head football coach Mike London has resigned in order to accept the position of head coach at the University of Virginia. The Cavaliers have called a press conference and will introduce London this afternoon.
A national search for London's replacement begins immediately.
London becomes the seventh head coach to win a National Championship at the FCS level and later become a head coach at a FBS school: Joe Glenn (Montana; Wyoming), Paul Johnson (Georgia Southern; Navy), Jim Tressel (Youngstown State; Ohio State), Jim Donnan (Marshall; Georgia), Jim Criner (Boise State; Iowa State) and Dave Kragthorpe (Idaho State; Oregon State).
In two seasons at the helm of his alma mater, London has cemented the Spiders among the elite programs in the FCS. Richmond captured the 2008 Division I National Championship - the first national title in school history, and continued the success with a CAA Football Championship and a fourth-seed in this year's NCAA Playoffs.
London was 24-5 in his two years at Richmond, setting the school record for wins in 2008 (13-3) and tying the modern-day school record for fewest losses this season (11-2). The 17-game winning streak that began last October and continued through this November is a state record and the sixth-longest in FCS history.
Also excelling in the classroom, London's team was one of just 23 Division-I programs in 2008 to earn the NCAA Public Recognition Award for graduation rates.
In 2008, both the American Football Coaches Association and Schutt Sports named London the FCS National Coach of the Year, while he edged out Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin as the Black Coaches Association National Coach of the Year.
London graduated from the University of Richmond with a sociology degree in 1983, played one season of professional football with the Dallas Cowboys and was a police officer in the City of Richmond before beginning his coaching career.
He worked as an assistant at Richmond, William & Mary, Boston College, the NFL's Houston Texans and at Virginia before returning to the Spiders on January 19, 2008 in his first head coaching position.
A former defensive coordinator for the Cavaliers, London's Spiders were among the top defensive units in the FCS over the last two seasons, finishing 10th in total defense in 2008 and ranking 20th nationally this season. The Spiders have allowed just 15.9 points per game in the last two years.
Eight London-coached players have been drafted in the NFL, including Richmond's Lawrence Sidbury - a fourth-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2008 - and Virginia's Chris Long - the second-overall pick by St. Louis in 2007.
London and his wife Regina have seven children - Michael, Jr., Brandon, Kristen, Ticynn, Korben, Jaicyn and Madicyn. Brandon was a wide receiver at the University of Massachusetts and Kristen played basketball at Virginia. His younger brother Paul was a defensive back for the Cavaliers from 1991-95.
