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University of Richmond hires Mike London as head football coach

Mike London has been named the new head football coach at the University of Richmond . 

London, 1983 graduate of UR who played and coached for the Spiders, was officially introduced as Richmond's 33rd head coach on Saturday in front of a standing-room only crowd Saturday at the Jepson Alumni Center on campus.

London, 47, has spent six of the past seven seasons molding one of the nation's top defenses at the University of Virginia. He returned to Charlottesville in 2006 after spending the previous season as the defensive line coach with the NFL's Houston Texans. London was a member of Al Groh's original staff at UVa from 2001-04, coaching the defensive line. He was also the program's recruiting coordinator from 2002-04.

This will be London's first head coaching position and marks the first time at Richmond since the Ed Merrick era (1951-65) that an alumnus has led the football program.

"The University of Richmond is a special place," London said in a news release. "I chose Richmond as a player, started my collegiate coaching career here and am honored to be introduced today as its head coach." 

A native of Hampton, London played defensive back at Richmond from 1979-82. Under head coach Dal Shealy, he led the Spiders with six interceptions as a senior captain in 1982. In addition to earning All-State honors, he was chosen the team's MVP and received the Coaches Award. In 1982, the Virginia Peninsula Sports Club selected him as the male in-state Athlete of the Year.

London broke into the coaching ranks in 1988, spending two seasons with Richmond as the outside linebackers coach and admissions liaison. He then spent four years (1990-93) as the defensive line coach at William & Mary and was instrumental in the development of 1993 consensus All-America defensive tackle Craig Staub.

He returned to Richmond for three more years (1994-96) as the outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator on Jim Reid's staff. London coached All-America linebacker Shawn Barber, who was a fourth-round draft pick by the Washington Redskins in 1998 and just completed his ninth NFL season.

Prior to his first coaching stint at UVa, London served as defensive line coach at Boston College, from 1997-2000, where he helped lead the Eagles to two bowl appearances. While in Boston, he served as the pro scout liaison and staff representative for the assistant coaches in the Big East.

He graduated from Richmond in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in sociology and a year later received a degree in law enforcement from the Richmond Police Academy, serving as a detective for the street crimes unit from 1985-87.  The Dallas Cowboys signed him as a free agent in 1983.