The Groh watch continues ...
Jeff White
Dec 04, 2008
Dec. 4, 2008
CHARLOTTESVILLE – A day later, all was quiet, or at least relatively so.
Wild rumors and crazed speculation about Al Groh’s future at U.Va. circulated at the speed of light Wednesday, with “Groh is gone” posts popping up on message boards at a dizzying rate.
Well, Thursday has come and almost gone, and Al Groh is still the football coach at his alma mater. The Daily Progress’ report this morning notwithstanding, it’s too early to say for certain that he’ll back at U.Va. in 2009, based on what excellent sources are telling me. But this much is clear: Groh has not resigned, he has not been dismissed, and U.Va. assistants are on the road recruiting.
The situation has been described to me as “fluid,“ and people in the know say they won’t be shocked if Groh remains coach – or if he leaves.
Still unclear is what role, if any, Mike Groh will have on his father’s coaching staff. Al Groh’s older son has been the Cavaliers’ offensive coordinator for the past three seasons, with dismal results, and athletic-department officials do not want him to continue in that position. Whether Craig Littlepage and his No. 2 man, Jon Oliver, are asking that Mike Groh not be part of the staff at all, I don’t know, but I’d be surprised if that were the case.
A bigger issue might be the length of Groh’s contract. Littlepage’s decision last weekend to cut it from four years to three years, by declining to exercise a rollover option, did not go over well with Groh, I’m told. Groh believes he needs the fourth year to be able to recruit effectively.
At this time last night, I assumed Groh’s status would be resolved one way or the other today. Looks like I was wrong—imagine that—so we’ll have to see what Friday brings.
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Dec. 7, 2008 at 08:02 AM
If Caine is looking for money, cut State Coaching salaries. I’m sure Groh can get along with less than 2 Million per year…
Dec. 5, 2008 at 12:48 PM
If Groh gets canned, which Littlepage is clearly trying to make happen, you’ll never seen another UVa coach attempt to play this strong of a schedule. UVa played 11 opponants that finished with winning records and posted a combined record 41 games over .500. Considering that the 2006 team went 5-7 against a schedule that had a winning percentage under .500, I don’t think its fair for anyone to suggest the team has regressed to 2006 levels.
The 2006 team went 1-7 against teams with winning records, the 2008 teams went 5-6. A joke for anyone to think we’ve gone that far backwards.
Dec. 5, 2008 at 11:03 AM
UVa basketball and football teams are terrible as we all know.
I have never seen it this bad. It appears it started going down hill when AD Littlepage took over. With ridicules contracts and no backbone to make necessary changes I think it’s Littlepage that needs to go along with the coaches he brought in. I thought Lieto was going to be good but it appears I was wrong. I never have been a big fan of Groh, he reminds me of GW with his arrogance and poor decisions. I am hopeful things will turnaround, but I doubt it until major changes are made from the top down.