OT: 23-37 Mike London will return for 6th year at UVA

[Whitey23]

Virginia: Head coach Mike London will return for the 2015 season, athletic director Craig Littlepage announced. London is 23-37 in five seasons, including 5-6 this year. In a statement, Littlepage said, "It was important to see improvement in our football program this season. I've seen signs of progress in many areas. Through the staff changes made over the last two years, we are better at teaching the game and in the overall development of the student-athletes.”

 

[CousCuse]

Nice to see common sense prevail .

 

[OrangePA]

Nice to see common sense prevail .

Agreed.

London has recruited well and has had some success at a school where success is not always easy to achieve.

There is something to be said for program stability.

And that's what Littlepage has established for UVA Football.

He made the right call.

 

[Chip]

London could make everyone happier about the decision by winning this weekend. Which would secure their bowl eligibility and ends VT's streak at 21 straight bowls. Would be quite the twofer.

Sounds like UVA has bigger problems these days than who is coaching the football team.

 

[Scooch]

Every school has to make the decision that they think is right for them. Doesn't mean it's the right decision in every situation.

He's done considerably worse than Al Groh, but if they think they're on the right course, more power to them.

 

[Garrett_TD23]

I think it's a good move to keep London another season. His assistant coaches on the defensive side are top notch, basically he hired the best guys from NCSU when Tom O'Brien was fired including TOBy himself that now coaches the TEs. They should beat VT and maybe win their bowl game, I think that's moving in the right direction and they got a ton of guys coming back next year on defense.

 

[djorange1989]

We get them on the road as our crossover opponent next year. Will be a tough one

 

[TheCusian]

You guys are funny. If that were our record, we'd have a website and tshirts trying to get the guy fired.

 

[Chip]

You guys are funny. If that were our record, we'd have a website and tshirts trying to get the guy fired.

There was a UVA fan on this board before the Miami game saying he was worried that London would beat Miami who was reeling from the FSU loss, and that their AD would think it was just the kind of "progress" to keep him.

Weird that someone outside of Syracuse would think that way.

 

[TheCusian]

There was a UVA fan on this board before the Miami game saying he was worried that London would beat Miami who was reeling from the FSU loss, and that their AD would think it was just the kind of "progress" to keep him. Weird that someone outside of Syracuse would think that way.

That's kind of my point. I think from the outside, other fans would think SS was on the hot seat after this season - but internally there is way more scrutiny.

There is no doubt that there will be a lot of hand wringing from hardcore UVA fans.

 

[Hoo's That]

That's kind of my point. I think from the outside, other fans would think SS was on the hot seat after this season - but internally there is way more scrutiny.

There is no doubt that there will be a lot of hand wringing from hardcore UVA fans.

There is. These are about 95,000 threads about it on TheSabre.com. Far too many of them make the poster look a lot worse than London's record ever could.

 

[Alsacs]

From David Teel

David Teel @DavidTeelatDP · Nov 25
FWIW: In 2003, #UVa drew 57,580 for Troy. Largest home crowd this season 45,200 for UNC.


I am honestly shocked UVA didn't wait until beating VPI to announce this move. If they beat the Turkeys its obvious you keep him as a bowl was the mission. Now if he loses to VPI and finishes 5-7 I can't believe the UVA fanbase will happy.

 

[CousCuse]

From David Teel

David Teel @DavidTeelatDP · Nov 25
FWIW: In 2003, #UVa drew 57,580 for Troy. Largest home crowd this season 45,200 for UNC.


I am honestly shocked UVA didn't wait until beating VPI to announce this move. If they beat the Turkeys its obvious you keep him as a bowl was the mission. Now if he loses to VPI and finishes 5-7 I can't believe the UVA fanbase will happy.

You think it would Help the team and staff to run a Game on them instead of Giving them vote of confidence ? You must think it is easy to be put under the Gun.

 

[Alsacs]

You think it would Help the team and staff to run a Game on them instead of Giving them vote of confidence ? You must think it is easy to be put under the Gun.

I think the UVA fanbase would be ticked off London's expectations for the season was getting to a bowl game. However, the AD has given him next season without accomplishing that goal. If they beat VPI obviously you keep him but if they lose to VPI keeping him will lose more of the UVA fanbase.

 

[MSOrange]

I think the UVA fanbase would be ticked off London's expectations for the season was getting to a bowl game. However, the AD has given him next season without accomplishing that goal. If they beat VPI obviously you keep him but if they lose to VPI keeping him will lose more of the UVA fanbase.

And sure enough they lost. I tend to agree with you. Al Groh didn't leave the program in a great place but Virginia has had some good success under George Welsh and even Groh had some good years. It doesn't seem like a place that''s impossible to win at. I would have expected better than 5-7 at this point. But apparently his buyout would have cost more than $5 million minus whatever income London would earn from a new job - so maybe that played into it.