Matt Grothe

Matt Grothe

No. 8
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Born:	(1986-09-08)September 8, 1986 Lakeland, Florida,U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:	Lake Gibson (Lakeland, Florida)
College:	South Florida(2005–2009)
Undrafted:	2010
Career history
Florida Tuskers(2010)* Toronto Argonauts(2010)* Tampa Bay Storm(2011–2012) Orlando Predators(2012)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Big East Rookie of the Year(2006)
Career Arena League statistics
Completions: 29 Attempts: 58 Yards: 440 Touchdowns: 10 Interceptions: 2 Statsat ArenaFan.com

Matt Grothe(born September 8, 1986) is a formerAmerican footballquarterback.He playedcollege footballatSouth Florida.

Early years

Grothe attendedLake Gibson High Schoolin Lakeland, Florida and was a letterman in football. In football, he was a two-time first team Class 4A All-State selection, was named theLakeland LedgerPlayer of the Year twice, and as a senior, he was named to the Super Southern 100 by theAtlanta Journal-Constitution,was named the Class 4A Player of the Year, finished 2nd by the closest margin ever for Mr. Football in the state of Florida, and was named the Old Spice Red Zone Player of the Year. Grothe led his team to the state championship football game againstArmwood High School.Grothe passed for 2,700 yards and ran for 1,250 yards as a senior. He passed for 33 touchdowns and rushed for 15 touchdowns. After his senior season, he was named the 21st best prospect in Florida by theTampa Tribune,named the 23rd best prospect in Florida by theOrlando Sentinel,andRivals.comranked him as the 24th best dual-threat quarterback in the country and 93rd best overall prospect in the state of Florida. Grothe graduated from Lake Gibson High School in 2005 with a 4.0grade point average.He also began studying karate as a child and eventually obtained a 2nd degree black belt.

College career

2005 season

Grothe spent the 2005 campaign as a redshirt behind then-quarterbackPat Julmiste.

2006 season

The 2006 season marked Grothe's first action on the football team after redshirting all of USF's 2005 bowl season. He won the starting quarterback spot over senior Pat Julmiste in the first game of 2006 againstMcNeese State.The national buzz continued for Grothe, the 2006Big East ConferenceRookie of the Year, after he led his team to an upset of No. 7West Virginiaon the road inMorgantown, West Virginia.In his first post-season appearance, he led USF to the2006 PapaJohns.com BowlagainstEast Carolina.Although Grothe missed the entire second half of the game with a shin injury (after being up 24–7), the Bulls claimed their first-ever bowl victory by a score of 24–7.

Sports television channelESPNnamed Grothe the "biggest surprise" in all of the Big East for the 2006 football season. In total offensive yards, Grothe accumulated an average of 246 yards per game, second to only Louisville'sBrian Brohmin 2006 Big East play. Nationally, he ranked seventeenth in total offense for 2006 and was the 2nd ranked freshman in the country in that category.

2007 season

Grothe was named to theMaxwell Awardwatch list, the first USF player ever named to the list. Grothe was also named to theManning Awardwatch list, given to college football's top quarterback. Grothe led the Bulls to a 9–4 record in the 2007 season, including a 26–23 victory over No. 18Auburnin Alabama on September 8, 2007(also his 21st birthday) and a 21–13 victory over No. 5West Virginiaat home on September 29, 2007. On October 14, 2007, Grothe was at the helm as the Bulls rose to a No. 2BCSranking in the nation, the highest school ranking in history.The team ended the 2007 regular season ranked 21st in the BCS.

Grothe broke his own record for passing yards in a game with 382 in a 38–33 loss toCincinnati,and had a career-long 80-yard touchdown run againstPittsburghon November 24, 2007. He finished the 2007 regular season with 22 all-purpose touchdowns against only 14 interceptions.

Grothe and the Bulls accepted an invitation to theBrut Sun BowlinEl Paso, Texaswhere they lost to theOregonon December 31, 2007.

2008 season

Entering 2008, Grothe was named to both the Maxwell Award preseason watch list and theDavey O'Brien National Quarterback Awardwatch list. He finished the season with career highs in touchdown passes (18), passing yards (2,911), completions (240), and passing yards per game (223.9). He also led the team with 591 yards rushing and four rushing touchdowns. Grothe led the Big East in total offense (269.4 yards per game), and ranked 21st nationally in that category.

2009 season

Grothe started the 2009 season with wins againstWoffordandWestern Kentucky.However, on September 19, 2009, during a game againstCharleston Southern University,Grothe injured his left knee just before halftime. The next day, it was announced Grothe would miss the remainder of the 2009 season due to a tornACL.

College statistics

Season	Games			Passing								Rushing
	GP	GS	Record	Comp	Att	Pct	Yards	Avg	TD	Int	Rate	Att	Yards	Avg	TD
South Florida Bulls
2005	Redshirt
2006	13	12	8−4	202	317	63.7	2,576	8.1	15	14	138.8	178	622	3.5	9
2007	13	13	9−4	232	392	59.2	2,670	6.8	14	14	121.0	198	872	4.4	10
2008	13	13	8−5	240	380	63.2	2,911	7.7	18	14	135.8	146	591	4.0	4
2009	3	3	3−0	43	59	72.9	512	8.7	5	2	167.0	23	121	5.3	0
Career	42	41	28−13	717	1,148	62.4	8,669	7.6	52	44	140.7	545	2,206	4.0	23

Records and accolades

At South Florida, Grothe surpassed 3,000 yards of total offense in his first full season and passed for more than 2,400, breaking bothschool recordsformerly held byMarquel Blackwell.On December 1, 2006, theSporting Newsmagazine named Grothe the 2006 Big East Freshman of the Year, as well as naming him to the Big East All-Freshman team. TheTampa Tribunealso named Grothe the Big East Rookie of the Year.

• 2006 Big East Rookie of the Year
• 2006Sporting NewsBig East Freshman of the Year
• 2006 Sporting News Big East All-Freshman Team
• 2006Scout.comAll-American Freshman Team (2nd team)
• 2006 Tampa Tribune Big East Freshman of the Year
• 2007 Nationalchamps.net Heisman Watch Candidate
• 2007 Maxwell Award Watch List
• 2007 Manning Award Watch List
• 2008 Maxwell Award Watch List (2nd time)
• 2008 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List
• 2008 Big East Offensive Player of the Week on 9/8/2008
• 2008 Big East Offensive Player of the Week on 9/29/2008
• 2008St. Petersburg BowlMVP of the Game

Professional career

Florida Tuskers

After goingundraftedin the2010 NFL draft,Grothe signed with theFlorida Tuskersof theUnited Football Leagueon June 4, 2010. He was released by the Tuskers on September 6, 2010.

Toronto Argonauts

On October 6, 2010, Grothe signed a practice roster agreement with theToronto Argonautsof theCanadian Football League.He was released by the Argonauts on November 4, 2010. As of December 8, Grothe was put back on the Argos 2011 roster.On May 27, 2011, Grothe was released once more by the Argonauts.

Tampa Bay Storm

Grothe made hisArena Football Leaguedebut on July 16, 2011. He took over in the third quarter against theGeorgia Forceand went on to throw 5 touchdown passes. On his first pass attempt, he connected for a 40-yard score. Former South Florida teammateAmarri Jacksoncaught three of Grothe's five touchdown passes. In his 2 appearances with the Storm, Grothe completed 38 passes of 67 attempts for 440 yards with 10 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

Orlando Predators

He signed with the Predators on June 6, 2012.

External links

• Just Sports Stats
• Official website
• South Florida Bulls bio