Mike London enters his fifth year at Virginia on the hot seat, and coming off of two consecutive losing seasons, there’s little optimisim that the Cavaliers will be able to compete for a division championship. During his tenure in Charlottesville, the 53-year-old coach has only won 18 games, and a blowout loss in the 2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl marks the only time he’s led the Hoos to postseason play.
Despite all of that, London is statistically one of the best coaches Virginia has had since becoming a founding member of the ACC in 1953.
Of the program’s 11 head coaches who have led the Cavs in the last 61 years, London holds both the fourth-most wins overall (18) as well as the fourth-most wins per year (4.5). Each of the three coaches ahead of him held their jobs for at least two more years, and it’s not inconceivable to think that London could surpass George Blackburn’s 28 victories.
Virginia returns more starters than any team in the Coastal Division this fall, and while the team doesn’t appear to be a legitimate contender to play for an ACC championship after winning only two games a year ago, the Cavaliers should definitely be improved.
It remains to be seen how much longer London will keep his job, but for now, he stands as one of the best coaches UVa has had since joining the conference.