UVa makes changes on football coaching staff
We will have more on this later today. Right now, here’s the beginning of a release sent out today by Virginia:
Virginia football head coach Mike London announced today four members of the Cavalier coaching staff have been relieved of their duties. Those coaches are associate head coach/defensive coordinator Jim Reid, defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator Jeff Hanson, running backs coach Mike Faragalli and tight ends coach Shawn Moore.
In addition to those moves, London announced safeties coach Anthony Poindexter will no longer be the Cavaliers’ special teams coordinator but he will remain on staff.
December 2, 2012 - 2:32 PM
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I cannot believe that they are keeping Poindexter in any capacity. Must have someone up above looking out for him. Not sure about the other dismissals either. Thought the defense was decent. Need another offensive line coach. Hope the release of Hanson does not hurt recruiting
Doug,
did the coching staff announcement and the Rocco decision catch you by total surprise or were you expecting any of this?
By the way Doug, I really enjoy reading your columns. And you are the best guest Greg Roberts has on his radio show. Wish he would let you talk more. But that aint happening.
Special teams have been a disaster, and Poindexter has not shown any strength as its coordinator, but they need him for recruiting.
But what about Rocco? London didn’t can the offensive coaches that seemed to favor Rocco, so why is he bailing out? Is it that he wants to be numero uno with no competition? In my opinion, U Va is better off with him gone – he can be great at times, but he’s too erratic. Don’t let thr door hit him on the way out.
It was more than likely needed. I will give London credit, he has balls to do this unlike the guy over in Blacksburg…… I guess you can never get to comfy anywhere you ate these days.
London bridge is falling down
Falling down, falling down
Congrats to Rocco for getting out of that mess. It wasn’t his fault he wasn’t from the 757.
I’m not surprised London shook up his staff, but I’m surprised that this is how he did out. The defense was actually solid and getting better, and given the youth, a pleasant surprise and reason for optimism next year. I wonder if there were something more than coaching involved.
I’m also not surprised Rocco left, and I don’t blame him for bring frustrated at the uncertainty. In a sense he did London’s job for him…the coach showed no signs of resolving the spinning quarterback door on his own. Now the best thing London could do is declare Sims the starter now, and stress that the competition next year is for the backup. Quarterback by committee never works.
Norm24, I couldn’t agree more however Lazor has a 5 year contract at around $500,000 a year. It would cost to much for UVA to buy him out.
I agree with “GARMAN”!!!………..What is UVA doing!!!???
The administrators should have FIRED London!!!….I “DO NOT” agree with retaining Anthony Poindexter – even though he will be assigned “other duties” other than the pathetically HORRIBLE special teams that he oversaw…..
And if I had my choice of which assistant to “keep”, the defensive coordinator “JIM REID”, WOULD have been the one retained!!……….
I still believe that Mike London is in over his head at the Division 1 “big-time” college football level……Great person, good character and was a great “FCS” coach at Richmond……BUT, with the big money and conference-jumping that permeates the college landscape today, I don’t believe London is the man that can carry UVA to the next level on a consistent basis!!………
Hopefully, he will hire “EXPERIENCED” Divison I assistants and calm the waters next year……….However, another losing campaign in 2013 and a “10th” loss in a row to rival Va Tech, and it should be “ADIOS, LONDON”!!!
A.B.CEEYA!!…….AND I WOULDN’T WANNA BE YA!!
Oh, and good riddance to Rocco!!
Sorry, but, the truth is the truth……..There was a reason why he was a “TWO-STAR” QB coming out of high school – (They don’t give “ONE” stars!)……..
The few glimpses he gave of promise is “GROSSLY” overshadowed by the multitude of interceptions he threw – most at the most inopportune times – ex: The VA TECH game in which the Hokies parlayed that into the game-winning field goal!!
Bring on the competition!!……I also am not sold on Philips Sims!!………Bring on David Watford, who redshirted and had an extra year to watch and learn the playbook, or redshirts Grayson Lambert or Matt Johns!!…….Hell, even let the incoming freshman Corwin Cutler compete!!!
Anyone, but ROCCO!!!………..I AM GLAD TO SEE HIM GO!!!…………ADIOS!!
I’m really puzzled by the Rocco decision to leave. Sure, he wasn’t going to get playing time, but then again, who’s to say? Look at how London has bounced around on QBs over the years. Regardless, the bigger point is – has no one told him the face staring back at him in the mirror is NOT a future NFL QB?
Why walk away from a UVa diploma in the desperate desire to accomplish something that he will NOT achieve? Rocco needs to look beyond his future at age 23, and think about his life in entirety. A free education at UVa? The resulting career network from the sports recognition? He’s extremely foolish to toss that away.
Proof reader,
I don’t think London has quite earned the latitude that Beamer has, yet.
You can only hope one of London’s new assistant’s will sit down and give him a lesson in clock management
Rocco leaving is a good thing for the Hoo’s. Next year they can can go to a six man rotation at QB instead of seven and anyone who thinks P. Sims is the answer didn’t watch any games. That’s why Alabama win’s championships,they when how to evaluate talent!!!! If Rocco is only a 2-star ,then Sim’s must be the 1- star.
Rocco was on a roll at Tech during the 1st Quarter – Sharp with his passes – Then for no reason London took him out – Three incomplete passes by Sims somewhat like Thomas – When he came back in he had lost it!
Thank you London, you gave us the win!
Go Hokies!
Crooked Road makes some really good posts here. He could go to New Mexico and start for a I-A program and not to besmirch New Mexico academics because I know about the school, but wouldn’t a UVa degree have a little more cache in the part of the country where he is likely to work after football.
The more I think about, the more I think he would be better served to return to Virginia for the second semester, get closer to his degree and have more time to evaluate the personnel at the various schools he might be considering.
I think the desire was to bring London in as head coach and surround him with an elite staff, but hardly any of these guys had ever coached at the FBS (I-A) level.
’89 hoo, I agree with you on Rocco doing London a favor.
Got to admit, that perception is out there.
Danny, I wasn’t surprised by the staff changes. The Rocco decision did catch me by surprise. I would have put the chances that he would start the opener next year at 55 percent.
I think Mike London should be gone. Remember now, these assistants, especially my brother Shawn Moore, did great recruiting jobs, now to fire the tight ends coach, give me a break, there’s more to this mess.
If you’re saying Mike London should be gone because of the staff decisions he made, let me say that I think he was told that he needed to make changes. Shawn and I go back a long way. This is no way to treat somebody who has meant so much to the program.
My point exactly, I know you guys go way back, my mom loves you. Yea had to make some changes, but I’m not saying this because he’s my brother, but there were alot of other areas that needed some big improvements
excuse the error in words. But what I meant to say was I know he had to make some changes.