Grothe to miss Spring Practice???

[gurlybull]

According to the Ledger:

Grothe To Miss USF's Spring Practice Start

Lake Gibson Product Suffered Fracture in Bowl Game

By PAT ZIER

Ledger Correspondent

TAMPA - Quarterback Matt Grothe, who led the University of South Florida to a 9-4 record as a redshirt freshman last season, will not be ready for spring practice, Bulls head coach Jim Leavitt said.

The Lake Gibson High product suffered a hairline fracture of his lower right leg in South Florida's 24-7 win over East Carolina during the Papajohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., on Dec. 23.

The injury is not completely healed, and Leavitt is taking no chances when spring practice opens March 20.

"He's not quite ready," Leavitt said. "We're going to take it as it goes."

Before fracturing his leg, Grothe was hampered much of the season by a foot injury suffered in the Bulls' sixth game against Connecticut. He reinjured the foot in the ninth game against Pitt.

The Sporting News named Grothe the Big East Freshman of the Year after he passed for 2,576 yards and led the Bulls in rushing with 622 yards.

Grothe is expected to be full speed by fall, but Leavitt will give backup Grant Gregory, a transfer from Indiana who played in just two games last year, a crash course in quarterbacking this spring to be prepared for any contingency.

"We've going to give Gregory a lot of reps," Leavitt said. "We've got to have somebody else ready to play. Last year, we had Pat Julmiste, and he had been our starter. Gregory is going to get a lot of work."

Carlton Hill is another possible choice at quarterback. Hill has made a verbal commitment to return to South Florida in the fall providing he is academically eligible.

Considered by most the best prospect the Bulls have ever recruited, Hill was given the quarterback job last spring after Leavitt and offensive coordinator Rod Smith went to Texas and Missouri to study offenses designed around Vince Young and Brad Smith.

But Hill ran into academic problems and transferred to Pearl River Junior College in Mississippi, opening the door for Grothe.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070309/NEWS/703090403/1254

                                    -Gurly

[E.T.]

I would say we are taking strong precautions ...

We know what Grothe can do, works out great that Gregory will get more reps.

Go BULLS !!!

[Guest AstroBull]

Let's see Nate Allen get some reps at QB.  Seemed like he was a good one in high school.

[E.T.]

I seriously doubt Allen moves back to QB after burning a RS in 2006 at Safety ... he'll get lots of playing time in 2007.

Go BULLS !!!

[Guest 1Bullsfan]

*Cough* Come on down Alton Voss!

You gotta Bullieve!

[E.T.]

Voss won't be available until the summer, unfortunately.

[Guest]

Severino will get some reps in the Spring game, too... he's still technically 3rd string.

[mutt]

We need Gregory and Sererino to step up and show us they could take the helm if (GOD FORBID) somthin' ever happens to Grothe...  

[E.T.]

Heard that Severino's arm strength increased this past year ... we know Gregory has the arm.

[Kyle]

As much as I like watching Matt play, I think it's best for the team to give Gregory a majority of the reps.