Mike London has been offered the job…
Dec 6th
…according to ESPN. Stay tuned.
UPDATE: …and that story has been updated to say that they are finalizing the terms of a contract. A press conference has been scheduled for 1:00 pm on Monday.
Welcome back to the University, Coach London! UVa has made a great choice.
Is Mike London the leading candidate?
Dec 6th
Is Mike London the leading candidate for UVa’s football coaching job? It’s starting to look that way.
I’ve already said that London is my favorite for the job.
It’s not only me
Dec 3rd
I’m not the only one who likes Mike London. Some Virginia players like London as a coach and recruiter, too.
Hire Mike London!
Dec 2nd
I haven’t had much to say about the search for a football coach, and I’m not going to say much more now…except that I think UVa should hire Richmond head coach Mike London as soon as his season is over. That, of course, assumes that London wants to leave his alma mater for the Virginia job, but he’s a member of the Virginia family, too.
Recruiting-wise, he’d be a slam dunk. Of all the available names, he’s the one that makes the most sense for this program, right now. (Of course, Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly would be a slam dunk too, but I still feel he’ll end up at Notre Dame.)
So, I’m on the record: hire Mike London!
Al Groh’s statement
Nov 29th
Al Groh released a statement this evening, in the wake of his dismissal as UVa’s head football coach. It’s below the fold, if you’re interested:
Al Groh removed as head coach
Nov 29th
After all the speculation and discussion, it’s over:
Craig Littlepage, University of Virginia director of athletics, today announced that Al Groh would not be retained as head football coach, effective immediately. Littlepage met with Groh, who just concluded his ninth season, earlier today to inform the coach of his decision.
“There is not a coach in the college game who has worked harder than Al Groh in trying to build a football program. Football is his life and he dedicated himself to the University and to our football team,” Littlepage said. “We are grateful for his service and for his commitment to his players and his coaching staff.”
Groh, a UVa alumnus, was named Virginia’s head coach on Dec. 30, 2000. His nine Virginia teams compiled an overall record of 59-53 and participated in five bowl games, winning three of them. Groh was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2007, and the American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year in 2004. The Cavaliers have had losing records three of the last four seasons and were 3-9 in 2009.
A national search for a new head coach will begin immediately. An assistant coaching staff will be assembled by the new head coach and it will be the choice of the new coach to determine if any current staff members are retained. Littlepage did not specify a time frame for concluding the search, taking into account the fact that many of the possible candidates will be involved in postseason play. Littlepage said that he would make no further comments until the search has been concluded.
“Our goals for the UVa football program will remain the same. We will pursue winning and excellence in all facets of the University experience for our student-athletes, both on the field and in the classroom. There are a number of excellent coaches whose backgrounds and styles align with our goals and values,” Littlepage said. “When you combine our aspirations with the institutional commitment to athletic facilities and resources, I believe that the job of head football coach at UVa will be attractive to some outstanding candidates.”
Groh has two years remaining on his contract. He and the University have come to a financial agreement, which is the responsibility of the athletics department, that will pay him approximately $4.33 million. The department does not receive any state funding.
So long, Coach Groh. Thank you for your dedication and hard work. I know you wanted UVa to be successful at football even more than we fans did.
Now let all the speculation, drama, gossip, and rumor-fueled discussion about the next coach begin….
The Virginia Tech game
Nov 28th
A complete embarrassment.
I feel so sorry for the group of seniors who played their final game today, having never beaten the stinkin’ Hokies. Not a good day.
Don’t sell your tickets to this guy
Nov 28th
I didn’t renew my season tickets this year, for various reasons. As a season ticket-holder, I was always dismayed at the number of people who sold their Scott Stadium tickets to Hokies.
So remember…don’t sell your tickets to this guy:

Ready for more turkey?
Nov 27th
I hope you all got lotsa turkey on Thanksgiving…but I hope you’ve saved room for more!
Go Hoos! It’s been a miserable year, but it can be somewhat redeemed by a victory against Virginia Tech today. We all know that it’s Al Groh’s final game as Cavalier head coach. Perhaps the team will come out fired up to send Groh away on a winning note against their biggest rivals.
I believe….
Two words
Nov 25th
How’s this for a line in the win over Cleveland State: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, one blocked shot, and zero turnovers. Previous career highs for Sherill: 3 points, 3 rebounds.
Let us forever speak of The Legend of Will Sherrill.
Unfortunately, the rest of the team looked pretty bad for much of the game, especially on the defensive end. I’m afraid that some of these guys are just not getting it defensively. I pity poor Coach Bennett. Opponents are getting into the lane at will, and Virginia’s rotations on defense are slow/nonexistent.
But a win’s a win, I guess. And there were some other bright spots, to be honest. Sylven Landesberg had 20 points and Mike Scott had 15 points and 8 rebounds. I just wish this team could play defense.
Next up is Penn State on Monday in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Hope we can fill up JPJ for that one.