Virginia Cavaliers News

View our full coverage of National Signing Day at ACC Signing Day Central

Head Coach: Bronco Mendenhall

Total Number of Commitments: 25

Although six-year head football coach Mike London has been gone from Virginia for more than two months, the Cavaliers’ 2016 recruiting class definitely will have his imprint.

When it was announced Nov. 29 that London would not be returning as coach, the Cavaliers already had taken 26 commitments, inculding four from players who were planning to enroll for the second semester.

It was only five days later that  11-year Brigham Young head coach Bronco Mendenhall was named to succeed London, and while the Cavaliers were to lose several London recruits, the situation could have been a lot worse.

Three of the players who left were Floridians recruited by Chris Beatty, the UVa running backs coach who briefly took a job on the staff of new Syracuse coach Scott Shafer and then joined London on the staff of new Maryland coach D.J. Durkin.

Linebacker Kenneth Ruff went to Syracuse after decommitting from UVa, and running back Laderrien Wilson enlisted with London, Beatty and Co. at Maryland. Wide receiver Neru N’Shaka flipped to Toledo.

Tight end Andrew Trainer, an early in-state commit to Virginia, switched to Illinois because Mendenhall’s offense utilizes tight ends only sparingly.

Meanwhile, Mendenhall’s past success with running quarterbacks piqued the interest of Allentown, Pa., dual threat De’Vante Cross, who accounted for 4,500 yards and 46 touchdowns either running or passing for Parkland High School.

Also putting up some impressive numbers was Tre Harbison, a running back who was one of the four early enrollees. Harbison rushed for 5,770 yards in his career at Shelby Crest High School.