On the third day of the new year , Virginia sent out a press release announcing that Jeff Banks was one of four assistants hired by Mike London, charged with taking over the Cavaliers special teams. Exactly a week later, the school sent out yet another press release announcing that Banks had left the football program “to pursue another coaching position.”
Two days later, London again filled that coaching hole.
By way of, you guessed it, a press release, London announced that he has hired Larry Lewis as his new special teams coordinator. In addition to special teams duties, Lewis will coach running backs as well.
Per the release, Lewis signed a two-year contract that’s worth $220,000 annually.
“Larry Lewis has probably been coaching special teams for as long as anyone in college football and we’re really fortunate to have him join our staff,” London said. “On the offensive side of the ball, he has worked for some very successful and innovative coaches out west and coached two of the nation’s top running backs over the past two seasons. Larry is high energy and our players are going to enjoy his style. It is ironic that Jeff Banks played for Larry at Washington State. I guess you could say we’ve gone from the pupil to the teacher.”
Lewis spent last season at Nevada. Prior to that, he was at Colorado State for four seasons.
And as for Banks? He ended up taking a job at Texas A&M. The lure of the SEC proved to be too much, even as he had accepted another job a week earlier.
“This was a very difficult decision for my family and me to make because we instantly fell in love with Charlottesville and the people here,” Banks said in a statement. “I’m very fortunate to have been presented with both of these opportunities in such a short period of time. Ultimately, the opportunity to coach in the SEC with a friend was too hard to pass up.”