Colleges

Bulls rediscover dominant Grothe vs. UCF

Passing, running, twisting Jim Leavitt's arm - Matt Grothe's style is on full display.

By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published October 15, 2007

Quarterback Matt Grothe has run for more than 100 yards in two consecutive games. In the 10 previous seasons of USF football, quarterbacks topped 100 yards just twice. USF photos: Fans | UCF game Blog: USF Sports Bulletin Bulls coverage
	[Jim Damaske | Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [Getty Images] Last year's Big East rookie of the year, Matt Grothe threw for 212 yards against Central Florida, accounting for four touchdowns.

TAMPA - The old Matt Grothe was back again Saturday.

In USF's first five games, the sophomore quarterback had led the Bulls to victories, but hadn't done so with the swagger and style that made him last year's Big East rookie of the year.

Saturday's 64-12 drubbing of Central Florida brought all that back, and reminded fans of a big reason why USF is No. 2 in the BCS standings and still undefeated. Grothe was everywhere, running for 100 yards, throwing for 212 and accounting for four touchdowns.

"He's the magic man. Now you see him, now you don't," senior lineman Nick Capogna said. "He's the Youtube guy. You see all his highlights on Youtube now. He's fun to play for, but if I was an opposing defensive player, I'd have nightmares about him, because you never know what he's going to do. We don't."

Where do you start Saturday, when one fan held up a sign reading "Human Grothe Hormone"? Up 3-0 in the opening quarter, Grothe had thrown back-to-back, long, would-be touchdowns that were dropped in the end zone. On third and 10, he scrambled 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage to avoid a sack, then threw a strike to receiver Taurus Johnson for a 34-yard gain to the 3, setting up USF's first touchdown.

His two short touchdown runs were pinball plays, bouncing off multiple Knights, and his first came with two seconds left in the half, having led the Bulls 69 yards in 63 seconds for a 29-10 lead.

"Just an unbelievable throw and catch," offensive coordinator Greg Gregory said.

Grothe and Johnson had convinced coach Jim Leavitt to go for the end zone with seven seconds left, even if it meant running out of time for a field goal.

"We had a good route, and I knew it was going to work when I saw it set up," Grothe said. "Taurus, one on one with anybody, is better than a 50-50 chance."

Then there was the stiff-arm Grothe threw on a 25-yard scramble, and the sack he got out of, Houdini style, to throw his last score to tight end Cedric Hill.

"He broke a lot of tackles, and I thought that was impressive," Leavitt said. "UCF had people in position to make plays ... they just didn't make the play. Matt's a decent runner."

A decent runner who has rushed for 100 yards in two straight games - in USF's first 10 seasons, quarterbacks topped that just twice. And the offense would appear to be back on track as the Bulls close their season with six straight Big East games, starting with Rutgers on Thursday.

"It's nice to score 64 points," Grothe said. "It's not like we were trying to run up the score. If we were, we could have scored more."

Greg Auman can be reached at auman@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3346. View his blog at blogs.tampabay.com/usf/.

[Last modified October 14, 2007, 22:19:11]