By Nick Leach | 7.12.2010

That's right -- we're talking Virginia and "T" time, and not the type that involves your grandma's chamomile, nor the type you call and set instead of cleaning out the garage on the weekend. "T" time is "Title" time, and it's going to be celebrated in Charlottesville, Virginia sooner than you think. Get your laughs in now while you can because in just a few years Mike London and Co. will have one of the fastest, nastiest, most fundamentally sound defenses in the nation that will give the ACC headaches that not even the strongest herbal remedy tea could cure.

It's likely your first reaction was to scoff at such an idea, that UVA could possibly make an appearance as a national power. They've been atrocious lately you say! A 3-9 record last year and just 5-7 the year before and that doesn't even begin to describe the abysmal and pathetic 1-10 record they've compiled against their rival Virginia Tech in their past 11 meetings. I'll give you one good, no, scratch that, one great reason why you will be wrong...

Mike London.

If there was ever a more logical fit that was also an under the radar home run hire, it was London's to UVA in December of 2009.

He's going to have his work cut out for him in the short term. First, it's a roster devoid of much talent, especially offensively. Secondly, he will attempt to move UVA from the 3-4 formation back to the 4-3 base. This is London's area of expertise, not just defense but the 4-3. Now here is the amazing part..he handled the 3-4 with little experience better than Groh did! Check this out....

In his 2 years as Defensive Coordinator (2006-07) the Cavaliers were downright beastly on defense, I mean we're talking Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster met up and had 11 children and London threw them out there on defense. In the first year as DC, his squad gave up only 289.5 yards per game -- which was the lowest the school had given up in 27 years! Beginner's luck you may say? The next year they were even better by finishing 6th in the nation with 40 sacks, giving up only 106.7 yards per game rushing and less than 20 points a game. On top of that, this was all done without the experience of knowing the players as well as most DC's would have since he spent the 2005 season as the Houston Texans DL coach. Color me impressed (don't ask me what color that is though, maybe a Robin's Egg Blue?)

Now to be so confident in a coaches future successes you have to appreciate his past so let's take a look at how he got to where he was today, and what makes him so unique as not only a coach but also as a man and leader of young men.

Mike London finished his playing career as a DB at Richmond in 1982 and he thought that may be the end of his football career. He started to work as a police officer and detective for the city of Richmond that he knew so well already. He worked in the street crimes unit and task force; needless to say he's seen some situations and knows what pressure feels like. This goes a long way in describing and understanding London's disciplinarian style when it comes to football that we'll see a little more clearly later on.

He embarked on his return to football in 1988 working with Richmond and after stops at William & Mary and Boston College he wound up in 2001 at UVA as the DL coach. The next year he was bumped up to recruiting coordinator where he really made his mark. In his three years as recruiting coordinator he rattled off 3 straight top 25 recruiting classes, coming in as high as 10th. Look at the caliber of names he brought in: Darryl Blackstock, Ahmad Brooks, Kai Parham, Wali Lundy, Brad Butler, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Brandon Albert, Clint Sintim, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Chris Long. Many of those, including Chris Long, were under the radar 3* recruits. London has a fantastic eye for talent and hidden gem's combined with a resume that proves he knows how to coach up that talent..a rare, and soon to be lethal combination.

A few years down the road after some more pit stops, including in the NFL, Mike landed the head coaching gig that he rightfully deserved and earned for some time with his alma mater, the Richmond Spiders. *Gasp*! But how would he do now as the man in the toughest conference in FCS football, the CAA, a league that has dropped some L's on UVA in the past. All London could do was go 24-5 with a national title in 2008 in which his defense went bonkers on Appalachian State and Montana in the semi's and final's in which those two schools combined to score only 20 points! He added a nice trophy to him room also with National Coach of the Year honors as well. Heck, these guys last year even won at Duke when UVA lost by double digits to Duke at home! Yeah, the dude can coach.

Now what makes us think he can do that type of work while on the big stage in the ACC? Let's break it on down for you...

- His reputation with prime athletes is impeccable. The guys want to play for him, and love to play for him. This is the quote that Chris Long had to say to the Washington Post in regards to Coach 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." These athletes genuinely believe in London, his authoritarian control is not just an act, but he exemplifies it with his actions. You've got a nearly 50 year old man out there working out with you, busting his tail, it's hard not to bust yours even harder.

- He knows the area and can lock it down recruiting wise. The difference between his attitude and Groh's on recruiting is drastic. Groh wanted to focus nationally while London focuses regionally. Of the 14 verbal commits for the 2011 class for UVA, 12 of them are from Virginia or Maryland. That's locking it down. It isn't just any pushover talent either but we're talking high caliber athletes such as Brandon Phelps, Caleb Taylor, Marco Jones, Vincent Croce and Clifton Richardson. Not just that but he kept all the kids that were signed onto Groh's last class when he came in, except for one that didn't get academically cleared but is expected to join later on. Oh, and he kept a monster OL in Morgan Moses which was a major coup. The staff and team essentially did a tour around the state to get out there and get re-introduced with their fans in the area, including having a scrimmage at Old Dominion University to tap into that area. He's an extremely smart and innovative man and acts like that doesn't even do him justice for how smart he is.

- His staff is loaded with experienced assistants that kids will want to play for. A head coach can only do so much until the quality of his assistants will begin to show. When that happens to UVA, it'll only help them look even better. The OC is Bill Lazor, a former NFL QB for the Redskins, and Scott Wachenheim as TE coach (same position with Redskins staff). Having coaches that have played and coached in the NFL, and the hometown team Redskins at that, will be a huge recruiting chip. Kids have dreams of getting there and these guys have walked the walk down that road. We should also mention that 8 of the 9 coaches have strong ties to the state with 2 former players and 6 coaches that have already coached in the state. The knowledge of the area and connections already made with the coaches will help them be a monumental success in-state.

- Discipline. That's a card he can use that the coaches and parents will love, and something the kids will respect. In his first semester as head coach at UVA, the team had its highest GPA in over 10 years! Talk about laying the hammer down, that will get parents attention. A degree from one of the most prestigious schools in the country is one thing, but to leave with a high GPA on top of that is like the rich getting richer, it's like if the Miami Heat added Dwight Howard and Chris Paul to the team tomorrow! (Side note, I'm a Cleveland fan so let's hope that doesn't happen.) We've already mentioned his past as a cop, but his mantra to the players is something everybody can respect because he backs it up. "Go to class, show class and treat people with dignity and respect.' Those are the three rules. There are some guys that just can't grasp one or two of those elements. They're on their way home right now." You do not want to mess with this man!

So what have we learned from all this? London has every tool in the tool box sharpened, ready to use, and has shown he knows how to wield them. He can out recruit you and he can out coach you. Virginia and the Commonwealth area, not to mention Maryland and the DC area, is a hotbed of talent which he has shown he will utilize at a level that Groh could never comprehend. The school has great weather, great academics, plays in a strong conference, and has a staff in place that can get them to where they want to be. Parents and coaches greatly respect who he is and what he does and that influence is insanely important. This is a program that has everything to offer recruits and they are taking notice. Consider the ACC on official lookout from now on because a sleeping giant is about to wake and unleash it's power nobody knew it had.