London's calling for UMass
Some of Brandon London's numbers are down. But London's football career is on the way up as the University of Massachusetts prepares for a visit to Montana for an NCAA Division 1-AA semifinal game Friday.
The Minuteman receiver has caught 42 passes -- compared with the 60 he grabbed in 11 games last year -- but he has excelled in areas coaches, scouts, and teammates appreciate as UMass (11-1) has won 10 successive games.
"The one thing he does every game, I think he is the best wide receiver blocking on the field," said UMass coach Don Brown. "You can watch him in every football game. He gives a great effort and tries to make that run game go."
London scored the deciding touchdown on a 31-yard pass from Liam Coen in the third quarter of a 24-17 victory over New Hampshire in Saturday's quarterfinal.
"His individual effort in the second half, I thought, was very, very special, and it was a key to our win, for sure," Brown said. "It was a great individual effort. He was hit on the 5 squarely by two guys, but made out getting to the end zone.
"He is playing at a high level. He is a tremendous young man in terms of his work ethic. I do not know if there is a wide receiver in the country that works harder at his conditioning. He is a big reason why we are here, why we are going to Missoula."
London has long prepared for this moment. He used to accompany his father, Mike, a former Boston College assistant, to football practices at The Heights.
"I grew to love Boston College," London said. "My father and mother are my role models. My dad showed hard work does pay off. When I was in eighth and ninth grade, I used to go with him to BC, and after practice we would watch tape and he would work me out, put me through drills. I was blessed to have that.
"A lot of people look at that like it was too much. But I want to reach a dream. While everyone was going home and playing Genesis and PlayStation 2, you run the stairs and watch tapes.
"I think about [becoming a professional player] every day. I sacrificed a lot of college life for this. I was getting up at 6 o'clock to run with the track coach since I was a young boy. I want to be the first London to play in the NFL. I wouldn't say it's pressure, but my time is now."
Though the London family moved around, as many assistant coaches' families do, Brandon has spent some of the most important of his 22 years in Massachusetts. In Brandon's junior year in high school, he played cornerback and safety for Framingham's Super Bowl championship team.
"I was real tight with my teammates and I had a lot of friends," London said. "When I told them I was moving back to Virginia, a lot of guys said they wished I would stay, and I would have liked that.
"I was a reserve receiver and played corner and safety. I wanted to stay on defense but I had a growth spurt from about 5-9, 5-10 to 6-2, 6-3, and they said I was too big and tall and skinny. I moved to receiver and that's where I want to play because I want the ball in my hands."
After a breakout season last year, London might have been expected to put up bigger numbers this season.
"Your senior year is not about stats," London said. "My touchdowns and yards per catch are up and I excelled in blocking way more. But the season as a whole is a reward. We have a chance to play for the national championship and that's all I care about.
"Don't get me wrong. When [New Hampshire's] David Ball has 15 catches in a game and we only threw 15 times, I wondered if this guy was making a mark or I was falling behind. But every receiver in the Atlantic 10 would trade in stats to be playing for the national title.
"We are looking at it like we play 60 minutes to gain another 60 minutes. We have a long way to go. But we have worked so hard to get in this situation, we are not going to go to Montana to lose.
"These are the two biggest games I've played. It gives me two more games to showcase my ability. If I make a huge touchdown catch or make a big block, it could raise some eyebrows."
UMass-Montana
What: Div. 1-AA playoff semifinal
Where: Missoula, Mont.
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
TV/radio: ESPN2, WATD (95.9)
