Mike London

First hired as a linebacker coach at the University of Richmond, Mike London later coached the defensive line at the College of William & Mary, Boston College, the Houston Texans of the National Football League, and the University of Virginia, twice.

London worked closely with St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long while he played for the Virginia Cavaliers. In an interview with The Washington Post, Long would later say of London, "when you get a coach who matches your intensity and emotion, you can just look at that person and know that at some level that coach is going to be with you through the thick and the thin."{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/31/AR2009083102416_2.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | first=Les | last=Carpenter | title=London's Calling: From Cop to Coach | date=September 1, 2009}}

In 2006, London was named by Virginia coach Al Groh as the team's new defensive coordinator to replace Al Golden. Virginia's defense under London was much more aggressive than it was under Golden.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=2860237|title=Breaking down the ACC|work=ESPN.com|date=May 9, 2007}} Allowing just 289.5 yards per game, the Virginia defense under London gave up fewer yards than any Virginia defense had in the past 27 years. London developed first year defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald, who by the end of the season had more tackles than any other freshman in the country.{{cite web |url=http://www.virginiasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=1133441&SPSID=88794&SPID=10606&DB_OEM_ID=17800 |title=Archived copy |website=www.virginiasports.com |access-date=January 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725221109/http://www.virginiasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=1133441&SPSID=88794&SPID=10606&DB_OEM_ID=17800 |archive-date=July 25, 2011 |url-status=dead}}

The next year his defense was perhaps even better given the scope of the UVA football program. A highlight of this season was when Virginia was scheduled to play the Miami Hurricanes in the last game ever in the legendary Miami Orange Bowl. The Virginia defense, under the supervision of London, dominated the 'Canes and Virginia won, 48–0. It was Miami's worst loss at the Orange Bowl in their 70 years of playing there. The Cavaliers finished the season ranked 6th in the nation in sacks with 40, and allowed the 19th-fewest rushing yards (106.7 yds/game) and the 16th-fewest points against (19.7/game) on the way to a 9-win season and a narrow loss to Texas Tech and Heisman Trophy candidate Michael Crabtree in the Gator Bowl.{{Cite web|url=http://www.caasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8500&ATCLID=1371964|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110723233645/http://www.caasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8500&ATCLID=1371964|archive-date = July 23, 2011|title = Mike London Named Richmond Head Football Coach}} At the end of the season, lineman Chris Long won the Ted Hendricks Award and was drafted second overall in the 2008 NFL draft.

;2008 season

{{main|2008 Richmond Spiders football team}}

On January 19, 2008, Mike London was named the head coach of the Richmond Spiders. Previous coach Dave Clawson had left to become the offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee. Sixteen starters returned from a team that Clawson had taken to the semifinals of the FCS Football Championship playoffs. Soon after opening the season with a loss to Football Bowl Subdivision team Virginia 16–0, the team suffered heartbreaking losses to the James Madison Dukes and Villanova Wildcats by a touchdown or less. After the JMU loss, London's team stood at 4–3.

The 2008 Spiders would not lose another game. They rattled off nine straight victories including last-minute heroics against the William & Mary Tribe and Northern Iowa Panthers, a 33–13 dismantling of the heavily favored Appalachian State Mountaineers in Kidd Brewer Stadium, and culminating with a 24–7 blowout victory against the Montana Grizzlies in the NCAA Championship Game. In his first season, the University of Richmond had earned its first national championship in any sport.

;2009 season

{{main|2009 Richmond Spiders football team}}

On September 5, 2009, Richmond upset the Duke Blue Devils of the Atlantic Coast Conference, 24–16, on their home turf in Wallace Wade Stadium. After beginning the 2009 campaign 8–0 and riding a streak of 17 straight wins, the Richmond Spiders became only the third FCS team ever to receive a vote in the AP Poll (after Northern Iowa in 2007, and Appalachian State later in the same season). Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle gave the Spiders their AP Top 25 vote for the week of November 2.

The Spiders won the CAA regular season, but lost in the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament to Appalachian State. Just two days later, Mike London was announced as head football coach at the University of Virginia on December 7, 2009.

;2010 season

{{main|2010 Virginia Cavaliers football team}}

Following the termination of Al Groh, London was hired to coach the Virginia Cavaliers and initially awarded a five-year contract paying $1.7 million per year.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=4722184|title=London replaces Groh at Virginia|publisher=Associated Press via ESPN|date=December 9, 2009}} He is the third African-American head football coach in the ACC, behind Wake Forest's Jim Caldwell and Miami's Randy Shannon.[http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/16/1573372/the-accs-black-head-coaches.html ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022104217/http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/16/1573372/the-accs-black-head-coaches.html |date=October 22, 2011 }} He is also the second African-American head coach of a major sport at Virginia; the first was former men's basketball coach Dave Leitao.

In London's first season with Virginia, his Cavaliers went 4–8, with two wins coming against I-FCS opponents.{{cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/cavaliers-journal/2010/12/poll_grading_mike_londons_firs.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010114329/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/cavaliers-journal/2010/12/poll_grading_mike_londons_firs.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 10, 2012|title=Poll: Grading Mike London's first season as Virginia's HC|last=Yanda|first=Steve|date=December 2, 2010|newspaper=The Washington Post}} The best win of the season was over then-#22 Miami.

Following the season, London enjoyed a strong recruiting class, pulling in what is widely regarded as UVA's best (and largest) recruiting class since Groh's first full season in 2002.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2011-02-02-2581784149_x.htm|title=London gets Virginia's biggest class since 2002|last=Kurz|first=Hank|publisher=Associated Press via USA Today|date=February 2, 2011}}

;2011 season

{{main|2011 Virginia Cavaliers football team}}

Having finished with a 4–8 overall record and having managed just one win in the ACC the previous season, London orchestrated a turnaround in 2011, taking the team to an 8–4 regular season record and a 5–3 mark in the conference. Signature wins in the 2011 campaign included upsets over previously undefeated and 12th-ranked Georgia Tech, at Miami, and at 23rd-ranked Florida State, at a venue (Doak Campbell Stadium) where UVA had never won. The final regular season game of the year pitted the 24th-ranked Cavaliers against the #5 Virginia Tech Hokies in a battle for not only the Commonwealth Cup, but also for the Coastal Division crown and a chance to play in the ACC championship. UVa lost the game 38–0, suffering its first home shutout since 1984.

Following the regular season, London was named ACC Coach of the Year, receiving 31 votes, ahead of Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer, who received 12 votes, and Clemson's Dabo Swinney, who received two votes.{{cite web|url=http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112911aah.html|title=Virginia's London Named ACC Coach of the Year|date=November 29, 2011|access-date=November 29, 2011|publisher=AP via the ACC|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120914122041/http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112911aah.html|archive-date=September 14, 2012|url-status=dead}}

;2012 season

{{main|2012 Virginia Cavaliers football team}}

After leading the Cavalier football program to a bowl game the year before, London led UVA to a disappointing 4–8 season. Highlights included wins over Penn State and Miami. The Cavaliers suffered a loss to rival Virginia Tech their final game of the season, making it the ninth year in a row UVA has failed to beat Virginia Tech.

;2013 season

{{main|2013 Virginia Cavaliers football team}}

The Cavaliers won their opening game against BYU, then lost ten of the next eleven games, culminating in a 2–10 season. The University lost every game against ACC opponents. The team suffered lopsided loses to Oregon, Ball State and Duke. Despite not being able to win consistently, London was able to recruit a small but stellar class for the 2014 season headlined by consensus five-star prospects Andrew Brown and Quin Blanding.

;2014 season

{{main|2014 Virginia Cavaliers football team}}

Despite an opening game loss to UCLA, Virginia began the season 4–2, including an upset of top-25 Louisville, in their first game as ACC rivals and their first meeting at all in twenty-five years. Virginia lost their next four games, but rebounded with a win against Miami, only to lose at Virginia Tech.

;2015 season

On November 26, 2014, Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage confirmed that London would remain as coach for the 2015 season.{{cite web |title=Head Coach Mike London to Return for 2015 Season |url=http://www.virginiasports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112614aab.html |work=VirginiaSports.com |date=November 26, 2014 |access-date=November 26, 2014 |archive-date=January 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112094441/http://www.virginiasports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112614aab.html |url-status=dead }}

After a 1–3 start in the 2015 season, including a September 25, 14-56 blowout loss to the Boise State University Broncos,{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400756931 |title=Boise State vs. Virginia - Game Recap - September 25, 2015 - ESPN |website=Espn.go.com |date=September 25, 2015 |access-date=November 30, 2015}} calls for London's resignation or termination began appearing in the media and elsewhere {{cite web|last=Elder |first=Robert |url=http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2015/09/the-beginning-of-the-end |title=The beginning of the end for Mike London? |publisher=The Cavalier Daily |date=September 26, 2015 |access-date=November 30, 2015}}{{cite web|author=Robby Kalland |url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/25316895/boise-state-blows-out-virginia-56-14-mike-londons-seat-gets-hotter |title=Boise State blows out Virginia 56-14, Mike London's seat gets hotter |website=CBSSports.com |access-date=November 30, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/BenKercheval/status/647783211192315904 |title=Ben Kercheval on Twitter: "Mike London's Wikipedia page is interesting" |publisher=Twitter |date=September 26, 2015 |access-date=November 30, 2015}} The University had no comment to the rumors and press stories, and many college football pundits did not give the reports much long term credibility, including Mike London himself.{{cite news|last=Khurshudyan |first=Isabelle |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/virginia-football-coach-mike-london-gives-cold-shoulder-to-the-hot-seat/2015/08/31/5b123d98-4e82-11e5-bfb9-9736d04fc8e4_story.html |title=Virginia football Coach Mike London gives cold shoulder to the hot seat |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 14, 2012 |access-date=November 30, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dailypress.com/sports/uva/dp-spt-greyson-lambert-uva-georgia-0924-20150923-story.html |title=UVa football: Virginia's Mike London stays focused while ex-U.Va. QB Greyson Lambert soars at Georgia |publisher=Daily Press |access-date=November 30, 2015}} On November 29, 2015, after losing the last game of the season to Virginia Tech, London announced his resignation.{{cite web|title = London resigns after 6-year stint with Virginia|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/story?id=14248699&_slug_=mike-london-resigns-football-coach-virginia-cavaliers|website = ESPN.com|access-date = November 30, 2015}}

;2017 season

{{main|2017 Howard Bison football team}}

London became Howard University's head coach prior to the start of the 2017 season.{{Cite web|url=https://newsroom.howard.edu/newsroom/article/6911/howard-university-introduces-mike-london-new-head-football-coach-0|title = Newsroom}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2017/1/6/14192730/mike-london-howard-head-coach-hired|title = Maryland's Mike London hired as Howard head coach|date = January 6, 2017}} On September 2, 2017, under the leadership of freshman quarterback Caylin Newton (younger brother of Cam Newton), London coached Howard to the program's first Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) win; defeating UNLV, a 45-point favorite, in the biggest upset in college football history by point spread.{{cite web|url=http://deadspin.com/cam-newtons-brother-led-the-largest-point-spread-upset-1798747571|title=Cam Newton's Brother Led The Largest Point-Spread Upset In College Football History|last=Thompson|first=Chris|website=deadspin.com|publisher=Deadspin|date=September 3, 2017|access-date=September 5, 2017}}

The Bison would finish the season 7–4, 6–2 in MEAC play to finish in a tie for second place.

;2018 season

{{main|2018 Howard Bison football team}}

The 2018 season was less favorable for Coach London's Bison as the team finished the season 4–6, 4–3 in MEAC play to finish in a tie for fourth place. However a bright spot for London was that his sophomore quarterback Caylin Newton was awarded 2018 MEAC Offensive Player of the Year.{{Cite web|url=https://meacsports.com/news/2018/12/1/football-newton-johnson-named-meac-offensive-defensive-players-of-year.aspx|title = Newton, Johnson Named MEAC Offensive, Defensive Players of Year}}

On November 19, head coach Mike London resigned to become the head coach at William & Mary, replacing Jimmye Laycock, who was the Tribe's football coach since 1980.{{cite web|url=https://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2018/william-mary-names-mike-london-as-30th-head-football-coach.php|title=William & Mary names Mike London as 30th head football coach|publisher=College of William & Mary|website=www.wm.edu|date=November 19, 2018|quote=Coach Mike London was announced Nov. 19 as the next head coach of the William & Mary Football Team. London is no stranger to the Tribe, he served as assistant coach here earlier in his career.}} He finished at Howard with a winning two-year record of 11–10.

His son, Brandon London, is a retired wide receiver who played for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. His younger brother Paul London played defensive back for Virginia under George Welsh in the early 1990s. His daughter, Kristen London, played women's basketball at Virginia under famed former coach Debbie Ryan, and is currently playing professional football for the Denver Bandits of the Women's National Football Conference (WNFC). He is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa - The National Leadership Honor Society, and Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = both | poll1 = Coaches | poll2 = Media }}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Richmond Spiders

| conf = Colonial Athletic Association

| startyear = 2008

| endyear = 2009

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = national

| year = 2008

| name = Richmond

| overall = 13–3

| conference = 6–2

| confstanding = 3rd (South)

| bowlname = NCAA Division I Championship

| bowloutcome = W

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = 1

| ranking2 = 1

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| year = 2009

| name = Richmond

| overall = 11–2

| conference = 7–1

| confstanding = 1st (South)

| bowlname = NCAA Division I Quarterfinals

| bowloutcome = L

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = 5

| ranking2 = 5

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Richmond

| overall = 24–5

| confrecord = 13–3

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Virginia Cavaliers

| conf = Atlantic Coast Conference

| startyear = 2010

| endyear = 2015

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| year = 2010

| name = Virginia

| overall = 4–8

| conference = 1–7

| confstanding = T–5th (Coastal)

| bowlname =

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{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| year = 2011

| name = Virginia

| overall = 8–5

| conference = 5–3

| confstanding = T–2nd (Coastal)

| bowlname = Chick-fil-A

| bowloutcome = L

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| year = 2012

| name = Virginia

| overall = 4–8

| conference = 2–6

| confstanding = 6th (Coastal)

| bowlname =

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| bcsbowl =

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{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

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| name = Virginia

| overall = 2–10

| conference = 0–8

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}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

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| name = Virginia

| overall = 5–7

| conference = 3–5

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{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

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| name = Virginia

| overall = 4–8

| conference = 3–5

| confstanding = 6th (Coastal)

| bowlname =

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| bcsbowl =

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}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Virginia

| overall = 27–46

| confrecord = 14–34

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Howard Bison

| conf = Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

| startyear = 2017

| endyear = 2018

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2017

| name = Howard

| overall = 7–4

| conference = 6–2

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{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

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| year = 2018

| name = Howard

| overall = 4–6

| conference = 4–3

| confstanding = T–4th

| bowlname =

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{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Howard

| overall = 11–10

| confrecord = 11–6

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{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = William & Mary Tribe

| conf = Colonial/Coastal Athletic Association

| startyear = 2019

| endyear =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2019

| name = William & Mary

| overall = 5–7

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{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

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| year = 2020–21

| name = William & Mary

| overall = 1–2

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| confstanding = 3rd (South)

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{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2021

| name = William & Mary

| overall = 6–5

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}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| year = 2022

| name = William & Mary

| overall = 11–2

| conference = 7–1

| confstanding = T–1st

| bowlname = NCAA Division I Quarterfinal

| bowloutcome = L

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = 8

| ranking2 = 8

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2023

| name = William & Mary

| overall = 6–5

| conference = 4–4

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{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

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| conference = 4–4

| confstanding = T–9th

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}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = William & Mary

| overall = 36–26

| confrecord = 23–20

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record End

| overall = 98–87

| bowls = no

| poll = two

| polltype = Rankings from final Coaches Poll

| polltype2 = Rankings from final Sports Network Poll

}}

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [https://tribeathletics.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/mike-london/1921 William & Mary profile]
• [https://hubison.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/mike-london/326 Howard profile]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:London, Mike}}

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