Mike London resigns as Virginia head coach

Justin Fuente didn’t have much time to waste after his introductory news conference Monday.

After six seasons as the head coach at the University of Virginia, Mike London will not return in 2016, according to the school. Longtime head coach Frank Beamer, who is retiring at season’s end, will coach the Hokies’ bowl game.

Virginia has had just three coaches since 1982, when George Welsh took over.

Fuente signed a contract to coach the Hokies through 2021 and will be paid $3.2 million in year one. Last season they won the American Athletic Conference – the program’s first league title in 43 years – and concluded the with a double-overtime win against Brigham Young in the inaugural Miami Beach Bowl to earn the second 10-win season in program history.

ESPN.com, citing an unidentified source, subsequently reported that Beamer’s son Shane also will remain on the staff, presumably in his current role as offensive coordinator. Virginia attended one bowl game under London – the 2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Twice an assistant at Virginia under his predecessor, Al Groh, London returned to coach the Cavaliers after two seasons at Richmond, where he led the Spiders to the 2008 FCS national championship in his first season.

Athletic Director Tom Bowen held a press conference, saying that he did everything he could to keep Fuente in Memphis and that the loss “is not a setback”. I won’t cry myself to sleep wishing “what-ifs” and they type of thing.

Fuente is 26-23 in four seasons as head coach at Memphis, but is an impressive 19-6 in his last two seasons at the school. Memphis has scored an average of 40.8 points per game behind junior quarterback Paxton Lynch, a Unitas Award finalist, which recognizes the top fourth-year quarterback in the country.

“Justin was absolutely our top choice and the only one we offered the job to”, Babcock said.

In the statement, Littlepage said there is no timeframe for concluding the coaching search. I believe in trying to find a way to win the game.

“That being said”, he continued, “we do want to control the tempo”. Advertise on AFP Get information on AFP readership and advertising online with us. “I believe that’s the best way to have success”.

Fuente, meanwhile, will begin assembling a staff and adding to his reputation as a skilled recruiter. “We have to do a great job in this state to continue this program along, and we will”.

He said with recruiting, urgency is a priority but also said the University of Memphis will make sure they hire the best fit to the lead the program forward.