On November 28, the first day of the Contact Period in Division 1 football recruiting, Virginia head coach Mike London made an in-home visit with T.C. Williams (Alexandria, VA) offensive tackle Jay Whitmire . By the time the meeting was over, the Cavaliers first year coach had scored a commitment.

“We were eating dinner and I was just like, ‘Coach. I’m ready to commit,'” Whitmire recalled. “Him and Coach Poindexter both kind of jumped on me.”

Whitmire, who called the decision a “huge relief,” received double-digit scholarship offers before committing to the Hoos. In addition to several unofficial visits to Virginia, he made an official visit to Notre Dame as well as unofficial visits to Duke, North Carolina, Penn State and Pitt.

Virginia’s first-year head coach proved to be the difference.

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