With London, UVa football has a new attitude

When the media in late July predicted a last-place finish for Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference, it reinforced what many Cavalier fans, former players and students anticipated was on the horizon.

Such can be expected when a coach is fired after back-to-back losing seasons and a new vision is launched with the existing players in the fold.

Virginia was not bashful in approaching the dilemma that awaits in 2010 and perhaps beyond, launching an 18-part television series coined “The Building of a Program,” a name that speaks for itself.

The presentation that aired on Comcast Sports Net provided fans an in-depth look at how first-year coach Mike London was attempting to turn around a product that saw attendance figures slide drastically and managed just three wins in 2009 under former coach Al Groh.

Firing Groh was costly. The school paid $4.33 million to cover the two years that remained on his contract.

It was a move deemed necessary after Virginia had losing seasons in three of his final four seasons and slipped to 49th nationally in average attendance to fewer than 48,000 per game.

It was a drastic reduction in revenue from 2005, when the attendance average was 60,973, or even in 2007, when the program averaged 59,824 per game at Scott Stadium.

Virginia officials did not reach far, hiring University of Richmond coach Mike London. He had been an assistant at Virginia on two separate occasions and was known in football circles for his passion for the game, his players and his personality.

It has not yet translated into a bump in season-ticket sales. The school issued a goal of selling 31,751 season-ticket packages and had sold 27,372 as of Friday. In 2009, a season that included a home date with Virginia Tech, the university sold 30,507 season-ticket packages.

While not apparent in ticket sales, London’s arrival delivered an instant shot in the arm to the athletics department, the community and his locker room.

“In any situation when there is coaching transition there will be changes in how different things are done,” said Virginia’s athletics director, Craig Littlepage. “Since Mike London took over there’s been work done in a number of areas and he’s done all of the right things to put his stamp on the football program.

“In time, the hard work and the program Mike and his staff have put in place will produce results in all facets of the program (on the field, recruiting, academics, in the community, public relations, etc.),” Littlepage said.

Having replaced former men’s basketball coaches Pete Gillen and Dave Leitao, both of whom were bought out of contracts, Littlepage has experience in the process and the practice of patience.

“Turning things around won’t happen overnight. We’ve come off of three-win and five-win seasons,” he said, “but I believe Mike London has shown us he has a plan that will succeed.”

London, who went 24-5 in two seasons at Richmond, knows there will be bumps in the road initially, and admits as much.

“This is a work in progress,” he said. “I want our guys to be competitive, and I think we will be, but we’re not going to do miracles out there on the field.

“This is a process that’s going to take place. This is not an overnight quick fix, an ‘All right, let’s go, we’re going to win 21 straight games’ type of thing.”

As noticeable on the weekly television show, London has remained open to the ideas and concerns that his players have.

“You feel like you can just walk into his office and talk about whatever,” senior quarterback Marc Verica said. “We talk all the time. The captains, we meet with him every week. That’s important, just to be able to have that kind of relaxed relationship with your coach where you don’t see him as this detached, untouchable figure.”

At least one former player believes that London can eventually right the ship.

“I think he is starting in the right direction,” said former Cavalier running back Barry Word, the ACC Player of the Year in 1985. “I haven’t spent a lot of time with Mike but I have spent a little and it starts with how you treat people.

“He has taken great strides to welcome the alumni back. He has obviously brought alumni back onto his staff and I think for the Virginia program that means a lot, because it always was that way.”

London’s staff includes former All-American quarterback Shawn Moore and All-American safety Anthony Poindexter, a holdover from the previous staff. He also named former Cavalier offensive lineman Ron Mattes as a graduate assistant and appointed him to run the offensive line.

“At the University of Virginia we have kind of always taken care of our own, really, and then I think we got away from that a little bit,” Word said. “It was the nature of college athletics, I think. I think we were trying to keep pace with this new wave of programs that are based on revenue and splash and ‘get the big-name coach.’ I don’t think that Virginia will ever be able to compete that way. We have to be what we are and do that really well. That can be very successful for us, and I think Mike London is the guy to do it.”

Current players echo those thoughts.

“I feel like it’s a blanket of guys that are excited,” said junior punter Jimmy Howell. “People are getting dressed 30 minutes before practice, whereas last year people were getting dressed 10 minutes before practice.

“Guys are out here and ready to go and coming together as a team. There is such a bond and a unity. Everything is coming together.”

The new attitude is being reflected in off-the-field behavior, as Virginia’s players were cognizant of how London wanted them to behave away from the McCue Center.

“Last summer there were crazy things off the field but everybody is focused now,” said wide receiver Kris Burd. “I feel like this summer, watching everybody work hard, the family and the teamwork and the tough workouts we had, I am looking forward to this season seriously being successful.

“It is a great feeling knowing that everybody has a common goal again.”

The schedule that awaits London’s first campaign is daunting on paper. The Cavaliers play six opponents ranked in the AP Top 25.

Word hopes early stumbles will not discourage fans from supporting the players and the new coaching staff.

“Even if we don’t win a lot of games this year, and I hope we do, I’m not convinced that we won’t, I never am, but I think if the coach will come in after the game and talk to you, have a conversation, say what he is thinking, be honest with you, allow other people to talk, I think the fans will appreciate what he is doing and why he is doing it,” he said. “I think they will stand behind him and stand behind the players.

“I think it takes everyone to achieve what you want to achieve out there.”