Unforgett-A-Bull: Matt Grothe Leaves Legacy at USF

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He stands alone on the field during the pregame warmups. The crowd slowly begins to fill the stadium an hour before kickoff, many of them wearing the number eight jerseys that have become so popular over the last few seasons.

This time, however, No. 8 has a white polo on along with a black walking boot that goes thigh high. Matt Grothe’s career as the USF quarterback was cut short this season when he tore his ACL during the Charleston Southern game on September 19.

So much has changed for the senior quarterback who had dreams of breaking into the top ranks of the NCAA all-time career yardage leaders. As it stands, he ends his career with 10,875 total yards in his career at USF. He did however become the Big East’s all-time yardage leader passing Pat White earlier in the season.

None of that matters to Grothe now as he watches his team warm up without him. Watching him you can see it’s hard not being in the mix with his team, he has a smile on his face but it’s only window trimming in front of what’s really going on inside.

For the last few seasons Grothe has been a hero to the USF community, and has been a darkhorse Heisman candidate as well.

Many Bulls fans remember the classic image after the West Virginia game two years ago as the field camera pans over the students celebrating around the team after the game. Focused right in the middle is No. 8, Grow-hawk in prime form staring right back up at the camera.

Within seconds after his injury the student section started a chant: “BJ Daniels…BJ Daniels…BJ Daniels…” The young red-shirt freshman has come to USF with plenty of talent, but big shoes to fill. He’s answered the questions and critics’ masterfully leading to more big plays and even wins over Florida State and West Virginia.

All of this success has focused the attention on BJ, and the once hero of USF has almost become a forgotten legend. Grothe has been very quiet since his injury and his shyness adds to the fact the fans are forgetting him.

The team circles up on the 25-yard line before heading back into the locker room. On the back edge of the players you can see a white hat matched with the reflection of crutches against the stadium lights. The senior knows his job has shifted from being a field general to that of an assistant coach of sorts.

He knows BJ Daniels, the prodigy as deemed by the fans, needs his guidance and leadership to help him grow for the rest of this season. The team breaks up and heads in, Grothe trailing behind them with crutches and boot in full operation. This will be the last we see of him for the night.

Since the injury he’s spent most of his time during games up in the coaches box. Hopefully, for Matt, this leads to new opportunities for him; perhaps becoming a quarterback coach for the Bulls one day soon.

However, for the moment he's just another example of how, in sports, you can be replaced and forgotten in a moment. It’s a sad truth about sports, but one that rears its ugly head in this situation prominently. The fans can move on fairly easily, especially when the backup is as successful as BJ Daniels has been so far.

The players, however, are the ones with the blood, sweat, and tears put into these dreams and cannot let go as easily.  The founder of the Grow-hawk may be forgotten on the field this season but his mark on the USF and the Big East’s record books will ensure he’s not forgotten anytime soon.

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