Scout.com Opponent Spotlight: Matt Grothe

[___ Eats It]

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http://northcarolina.scout.com/2/578260.html

Opponent Spotlight: Matt Grothe

           

By Andy Britt

Inside Carolina

It came as no surprise to the South Florida coaches that Matt Grothe beat our veteran senior Pat Julmiste for the starting job at quarterback this year. Bulls’ coach Pat Leavitt said before the season started he was looking for more consistency at the position, and Grothe has exceeded his expectations thus far.

So promising last spring was Grothe, a 6-0, 200-pound redshirt freshman from Lakeland, Fla., that the three remaining quarterbacks on the team were moved to other positions.

Julmiste opened the season as the starter versus McNeese State, but Grothe took over in the second quarter and hasn’t relinquished his claim to the top spot.

“He’s a competitor, who wants to do well, and he cares about his teammates,†said Leavitt, in his 10th season in Tampa. “He wants to be accountable to the whole team, and I think that’s really important.â€Â

Last Saturday, Grothe ran for three touchdowns and threw for another to lead the Bulls (4-2, 1-1 Big East) to a decisive 38-16 win over Connecticut. Against the Huskies, he completed 12-of-15 passes for 146 yards, and ran for 82 yards on 15 tries.

The option-style signal caller now has seven touchdowns on the ground and eight through the air, making him the most productive freshman quarterback in the nation.

John Bunting said of Grothe, “He is in the flow of every single play. He can run a quarterback draw. He can run a quarterback [isolation play]. He can run a quarterback counter.â€Â

Bunting likens Grothe to a prolific quarterback he coached at North Carolina.

“[Grothe] scrambles to throw well, which is how I used to describe Darian [Durant]," Bunting said. "Darian was a great scrambler, but he would scramble very well to throw. This young man does that also.

“He also has very talented receivers, and a couple of them are bigger receivers, which creates mismatches for people. But this guy is making a lot of great decisions. He is not throwing the ball away. He is throwing it to his team, and he’s throwing it very well.â€Â

Although he’s only played in six games, Grothe is already taking aim at the USF record books – albeit the Bulls’ football program didn’t come into existence until 1996. His 306 passing yards at Central Florida on Sept. 16 established a new school record for a freshman. Grothe also lays claim to the top six rushing games by a Bulls freshman quarterback.

A flair for the dramatic, he has led his team to three comeback victories so far this season, and has come close in the two losses.

“The more you play, the more experience you get, and the more things you see,†Leavitt said. “Your decision making hopefully gets better, and that's been the case with Matt. I think he's doing an awfully good job.â€Â

USF will be the second team UNC (1-4, 0-3 ACC) has faced with a predominant option-oriented offensive attack. The other was Furman, which the Tar Heels defeated, 45-42, last month; but not before giving up 521 yards of total offense.

Injury Note: Grothe suffered a sprained right ankle in last weekend's win over UConn. While it has limited his practice time this week, and he had the foot in a boot during interviews on Tuesday, both he and his coach say he'll start Saturday in Chapel Hill.

[GetAHobby]

When did coach change his name to "Pat"?

[twillybull]

USF will be the second team UNC (1-4, 0-3 ACC) has faced with a predominant option-oriented offensive attack. The other was Furman, which the Tar Heels defeated, 45-42, last month; but not before giving up 521 yards of total offense.

If the Bulls show up, this may be their best shot at hitting 500+ yards offense in a game.  Seriously, with the holes the O-line has been blasting the last two games, Williams finally clicking and Ponton returning, there is no excuse for less than 150 yards on the ground.  

[Paisa el Toro]

http://northcarolina.scout.com/2/578260.html

Opponent Spotlight: Matt Grothe

           

By Andy Britt

Inside Carolina

USF will be the second team UNC (1-4, 0-3 ACC) has faced with a predominant option-oriented offensive attack. The other was Furman, which the Tar Heels defeated, 45-42, last month; but not before giving up 521 yards of total offense.

This is a question for the football eggheads on this board. Are the terms "option-related" and "spread" synonomous when describing an offense? I thought USF played a spread offense and not an offshoot of the option.

Please explain.

[Apis Bull]

I think the spread is a form of an option offense.  IMO a true "option" offense is run oriented with what one would consider a traditional option play, ala Navy.

A spread, IMO, is a more balanced offense with the third option is to throw the ball.

[BULLfreak]

WV runs a option spread we run a balance spread

[bulls96go]

go grothe

go pontom

go josh julmiste

go bulls!

[JoeB]

I'd say we run a true spread with the ability to option on certain plays.

[E.T.]

I say take the spread and put all you money on it  8-)

Andy called us an Option Team and called coach Pat ...   Just wish he was the team's scout  

Go BULLS !!!