South Florida Quarterback Matt Grothe Out for Season With Torn ACL

TAMPA, Fla. -- University of South Florida senior quarterback Matt Grothe, who set the Big East's career total offense record just a week ago, suffered a torn ACL in his left knee Saturday against Charleston Southern, ending his spectacular USF career.

Grothe's injury occurred with 2:54 remaining the second quarter of the Bulls' 59-0 blowout victory.

"Obviously, I am disappointed, because you never think this could happen to you," Grothe said in a statement. "It's a team game, and I am still going to be very involved with my teammates and the coaches. I am going to do everything I can to help the Bulls continue to win."

USF coach Jim Leavitt reiterated his thoughts from after Saturday night's game.

"Matt's a franchise guy and an even better human being," Leavitt said. "We all know that. What he's done in college football is extraordinary. He has been one of the greatest names out there. We all know that and our entire program feels bad for him. Matt is a special, special guy."

Since the second game of his freshman season, Grothe had started every game of his USF career.

Without Grothe, the Bulls head into their biggest game of the year Saturday at Florida State with redshirt freshman B.J. Daniels as the starter. Daniels is a native of Tallahassee and former two-sport star at Lincoln High School.

FSU coach Bobby Bowden was unaware of Grothe's injury. The Seminoles stunned No. 7 BYU 54-28 Saturday in Provo.

"That's a shame. I've been watching him for the past two years. He's one of the best I've seen," Bowden said during his Sunday teleconference with the media.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

9-20-2009 @ 7:01PM

Dennis said...

With the game being a blow out why was he still in there? Was he and his "coach" patting his stats? This is a very unfortunate injury that should not have happened. I do hope that he fully recovers from this injury.

9-21-2009 @ 2:11PM

mikeattard said...

As is typical in college football in routs like this, Grothe was most likely not going to play the second half. Apparently he was just going to finish the first half and take a seat. So it's not likely he was "padding" (not "patting") his stats.

9-21-2009 @ 4:53PM

pfig62 said...

Hey Dennis, why dont you learn how to read and comprehend, it happened in the second quarter of a 59 to nothing blowout. It was not 59 to nothing when he got injured, moron.

9-21-2009 @ 6:36PM

Brandon said...

Dennis the injury happened in the 2nd quarter...most of the time the starters will play until at least the end of the half..and I highly doubt it was 59 to 0 by half....don't blame the coaches or the staff and make false accusations about stat padding when a very common injury occurs it is just the nature of the game.

9-26-2009 @ 6:26PM

Paul E. McCauley said...

Why would you take him out with just over two minutes left to play in the first half?

cw said...

that coach should be held responsible letting him stay in with a big lead should fire theasshole

9-20-2009 @ 8:05PM

chilco said...

It's okay folks, coach Levitt can scour the country for top grade athletes who can't get into academic institutions and sign them up at USF. I think a "D" average would be considered excellent for an incoming athlete at USF. (for the record: Matt is a very good student/athlete, but the rest of the team.............)

BIG O said...

they need to get rid of leavitt. he can't keep coaches and pretty soon no kids will want to play for him. he is tryinf too hard to imitate spurrier. buy him out before it is too late.

9-20-2009 @ 8:08PM

leavitt needs to go and so does maddon of the rays.

USF96 said...

I disagree that the coaching staff and Grothe were simply "padding stats." He had 149 yds passing and 24 yds rushing.....with a game against FSU next week would you rest him all game or let him play the first half and then walk away once the game was in hand?

He has to play, he cannot go two weeks without playing especially since he has yet to play a full game due the schedule.

While it is disappointing the satff and Grothe were not in the game simply to "pad stats" as some may suggest.

9-20-2009 @ 8:18PM

Chilco....you obviously know nothing about USF. If you did, you would know that USF's standards are above what the NCAA Clearinghouse demands and has turned down athletes who have been accepted by the NCAA.

9-20-2009 @ 8:25PM

tony c said...

hey big o why does maddon have to go...got the rays in the world series last year there's mlb franchises that would love to be in the big show and never have in years. Get the guy a new staduim and any type of decent reliever, heck they still have a winning record. Look at the o's blue jays record in that same awesome division.

9-20-2009 @ 10:41PM

wyatt Hoover said...

baseball is lame anyway, evidenced by the 1/10th full stadiums all around the country!

also, the bulls are in big trouble now that they have no chance of keeping pace with the CP7 and his high powered offense

jrgroovin001 said...

so 1/10th of baseball stadiums full? meaning @ 5,000 people in all stadiums per game. get your fact's straight before you write garbage.

9-21-2009 @ 8:01AM

byronm said...

Dennis.......It's "padding" not patting"

its called hyperbole, the point is baseball is less entertaining than cricket (not hyperbole). But yes, I see games on SC all the time that would be lucky to have 5k fans in the seats.

That said, this is a football article. do you have anything useful to say about the usf program, groethe, their schedule or are you just here to nit pick?

9-26-2009 @ 4:05AM

rob said...

Baseball is lame and less entertaining than cricket yet you still watch the games on SC?

openmike123 said...

That's bizarre. Florida pulled Tebow out of the Charleston Southern game at the three minute mark.

of the second quarter. A few more seconds might have been too late.

BIG KELL said...

This stuff happens all the time in high school ball. These coaches leave starters in till the last 2 minutes, up 35 points. What kid wants to get his head beat in prepping the "A team" and not see the field in a blow-out game. These coaches should be kicked in the rear end.

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