Coming off the worst season of his tenure, and perhaps in a bid to hold on to his job beyond 2013, Mike London has announced a handful of changes to his coaching staff.
Chief among those changes involved defensive coordinator Jim Reid, who the school announced Sunday afternoon had been “relieved of his duties.” Three other assistants suffered the same fate: defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator Jeff Hanson, running backs coach Mike Faragalli and tight ends coach Shawn Moore.
In his third season at UVa, Reid’s defense fell from 46th in the country in points allowed to 70th as the Cavaliers’ win total dropped in half from the previous season to four.
“After conducting a complete evaluation of the program and discussing my thoughts with administration, there are a number of areas we need to improve on and it starts with me as the head coach.” London said in a statement. “The decision to release these four coaches is very difficult, but one I feel is necessary in order to meet the goals we have set for the Virginia football program. I have coached with some of these men for many years, won a national championship with some, and I truly appreciate their dedication and commitment, and more importantly, their friendships. I wish them all the best.”
All four coaches had been on London’s staff since he came to UVa from Richmond in December of 2009.
The release stated that the total buyout for the four coaches will be $1.36 million, and that the buyout amount for each individual coach could decrease based on future income.
“My primary task is to continue to evaluate this program and take the necessary steps to make us successful on the field.” London said. “This University and its fans deserve a program that competes for championships. In order to do that we need to make improvements in every aspect of our football operation.”