CHARLOTTESVILLE — Mike London has made this trip three times previously as William & Mary’s head coach.

Still, returning to Charlottesville doesn’t get tiresome for the veteran headman, who held the same job at Virginia from 2010 through 2015. He’s been back with W&M for the Cavaliers’ annual tilt against an FCS foe in 2019, 2021 and 2023, and his Tribe (1-1) visit UVa (1-1) again on Saturday for a noon kickoff at Scott Stadium.

“The human element of it is that I spent a large part of my career there as an assistant coach and a head coach,” London said Monday, “and there are a lot of people there that I know and I appreciate. There were experiences there. Some good, some bad, but mostly good.”

Notably, London led the Cavaliers to an 8-5 mark in 2011 with an appearance in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. That season, UVa won at nationally ranked Florida State for the first time in school history and won on the road at Georgia Tech, which was ranked, too.

He also had two separate stints as a UVa assistant under Al Groh.

“So, I look forward to connecting with people I’ve known over the years,” London said, “but also the task of getting my team ready to compete.”

To do so, he said, he’ll lean on his staff, which features plenty of ex-UVa players in Tribe co-defensive coordinator Ras-I Dowling, defensive line coach Keenan Carter, special teams coordinator Darryl Blackstock and running backs coach Perry Jones. London said his assistants’ pasts as players at UVa aids with logistics and helping their players understand what they’re walking into against the Hoos.

He said Blackstock has the large responsibility of assembling a plan to slow down Cavaliers speedster Cam Ross, who has earned ACC specialist of the week honors in each of the first two weeks of the year.

Ross had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in UVa’s season-opening win over Coastal Carolina and 84 punt-return yards this past Saturday in the Hoos’ loss at NC State.

“He does a phenomenal job,” London said of Ross, “but that’s why coaches have tape and that’s why you can game plan. … So, the game-planning is on and we just want to make sure we do enough to give the players an opportunity to be competitive up there.”

London has proven in his three different stops as a coach at the FCS level — at Richmond, at Howard and at W&M — that he can do more than that against FBS opponents. London guided the Spiders to a win at Duke in 2009, and he helped Howard beat UNLV in 2017. Under London, the Tribe knocked off Charlotte in 2022.

Even two years ago, they were competitive with the Hoos until the fourth quarter, when former Cavaliers star wide receiver Malik Washington’s 27-yard touchdown reception broke the bout open.

London said he’s concerned most with UVa’s running game led by running back J’Mari Taylor, paired with the way quarterback Chandler Morris can throw, run and has thrown on the run.

“We got our work cut out for us,” said London, who goes into Saturday with 99 career victories, “but there’s the exciting part about traveling and playing a team like them and then just savoring the moment for opportunities.”

London said he’s figured out about the resolve of the Tribe through their first two contests, which were decided by a combined three points.

They lost 23-21 at Furman in Week 1 and beat Maine 28-27 this past Saturday when cornerback Jalen Jones’ interception with 2:28 to go secured the Tribe their first victory. London said linebacker Luke Banbury tipped the ball before Jones picked off the pass.

“And we’re going to continue to keep doing things where it’s not just one player,” London said, “but it’s about the multitude of players that are up front, in the secondary, in the linebacker core and on special teams to experience success. It was a great learning lesson for us.”

Also new to the Tribe defense this season is UVa alum Aidan Ryan, a graduate transfer safety. He has five tackles through the first two games, and London said Ryan has fit in well. Ryan spent his first four years with the Cavaliers.

“He’s done a really good job,” London said. “He is a leader, and a guy who has been there and done that, so I know he looks forward to having an opportunity to play as well.”