Acquaintances reunite tonight in Durham, N.C. Four seasons ago, University of Richmond quarterback Eric Ward made his first collegiate start at quarterback. Duke defensive tackle Vince Oghobaase also made his first collegiate start. The two met early. “He caught me one good time up under the chin after I let go of a screen pass,“ Ward said. “That was really my first college football hit. After that one, I kind of settled in and was like, ‘Let’s go.‘“

The University of Richmond’s football schedule seems to set up the Spiders for a successful start. Four of the first six games are on the road. The past two years, UR went 12-3 as visitors against Football Championship Subdivision opposition. The Spiders open Saturday night at Duke, then visit Colonial Athletic Association rival Delaware.

The stadiums are big, the crowds will be large and the odds long that Richmond, William and Mary or James Madison will pull off upsets in their season-opening football games. But the odds are not as long as they once were that on Saturday, Richmond will defeat Duke or William and Mary will beat Virginia. And JMU should not be counted as an automatic “W” for Maryland on Sept. 12.

University of Richmond football coach Mike London Tuesday called an expert witness to address sustained excellence. Willie Lanier spoke to the Spiders. The Pro Football Hall of Famer and 1963 graduate of Maggie Walker High School told the Spiders the performance level that led to the program’s 2008 Football Championship Subdivision title should be the baseline from which they operate this season.

Fifty feet in the air was a worker, welding while straddling a steel beam. Another worker at the same height was riveting. There were cranes. There was smoke, the sound of motors, and every two or three minutes, the “beep-beep-beep” that comes when one of the trucks or other vehicles shifted into reverse. The University of Richmond’s First Market Stadium may be the nation’s most distraction-laden football practice facility, though some players don’t seem to notice. Safety Michael Ireland yesterday looked around the construction site caused by First Market Stadium’s transformation to a facility for home football games starting next season and shook his head.

Maybe he will be a college quarterback. Maybe he will play some other position. But Collegiate’s Jake McGee will be doing it at the University of Richmond. The 6-5 210-pounder, a Times-Dispatch second-team All-Metro pick in 2008 as a quarterback, committed orally to the Spiders yesterday. McGee is the third area player from the Class of 2010 who has orally committed to Richmond, which won the 2008 Football Championship Subdivision title.

Coaches say some contact can help a player develop and simulate game conditions, but they also recognized the injury risk in scrimmages and drills.

Richmond doesn’t have a power runner like Tim Hightower or Josh Vaughan, but senior Justin Forte, sophomore Garrett Wilkins and freshman Jovan Smith bring speed to the Spider attack.

Recent history suggests concern about new coaches on the University of Richmond football staff shouldn’t run too deep. Mike London was in his first year as Spiders’ head coach last season and he employed four assistants new to UR. The Spiders won the Football Championship Subdivision title. Richmond this season has three new assistants, including defensive coordinator Vic Shealy.

The University of Richmond’s first football practice was reinforced by an offseason conversation head Coach Mike London had with an NBA coach.

The University of Richmond today will announce that football coach Mike London has signed a contract extension.

Family: wife, Regina; children, Michael, Brandon, Kristen, Ticynn, Korben, Jaicyn, Madicyn
  Education: graduated from Bethel High School, Hampton; University of Richmond (sociology major, Class of’83); received degree in law enforcement from the Richmond Police Academy
  Playing career: Spiders’ defensive back 1979-82; signed as a free agent by the Dallas Cowboys

a closer look Coach Mike London, seen during UR’s win over Montana in the FCS championship game in December, is finding recruits earlier than normal this offseason. Thirty years ago, Mike London was a notable football prospect in Hampton. The recruiting competition that concluded with London choosing the University of Richmond didn’t begin until after he played his final game for Bethel High School.

Richmond football coach Mike London recently was named male coach of the year by the Black Coaches & Administrators. An old friend of his finished as runner-up: Mike Tomlin. Tomlin, 36, coached the Pittsburgh to a win in Super Bowl XLIII.

Members of the University of Richmond’s 2008 Football Championship Subdivision title team consider themselves family. That feeling became part of the championship rings they received on Friday. “FAMILY” is etched in the sides of the rings. That’s the most meaningful feature to UR coach Mike London. He and Lawrence Sidbury helped with design, according to London.