Mark Grieb
Encyclopedia
Mark Grieb is an Arena football
quarterback
for the San Jose SaberCats
. He was originally signed by the Anaheim Piranhas
. He played college football
at UC Davis
.
Grieb has appeared in four ArenaBowl
s, winning titles in 2002
, 2004
and 2007
.
in San José, California
, where he was a student and a three-sport athlete in football
, basketball
, and baseball
.
and was a letterman in football
. In football, he finished his career, in the school's top 10 in six different offensive
categories. As a senior, he passed for a school-record 3,230 yards and 25 touchdown
s, and earned First-team CoSIDA All-Region honors, was a Football Gazette All-American pick, and was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy
, which is given to the NCAA Division II college football MVP.
, Grieb signed with the Anaheim Piranhas
of the Arena Football League. Later that season he was traded to the Milwaukee Mustangs
, and spent 1998 with the Scottish Claymores
of NFL Europe before returning to Arena football with the San Jose SaberCats
for the 1999
season, where he has remained with the exception of 2001, where he played in the XFL
with the Las Vegas Outlaws
. With the SaberCats, he has appeared in four ArenaBowl
s and wins in the 2002
, 2004
, and 2007
, although in 2002, on his way to completing an AFL regular season record 13-1 year, he was injured against the Arizona Rattlers
, sustaining a season-ending broken collarbone. John Dutton, Grieb's backup at the time, took over and continued to help lead the team to the ArenaBowl, winning it against the same Rattlers. In 2004
, Grieb was able to stay healthy and help lead the SaberCats to another win the ArenaBowl against the Rattlers. In 2008
, he helped lead the SaberCats to yet another ArenaBowl appearance, in ArenaBowl XXII
, a 59-56 loss to the Philadelphia Soul
. After the 2008 season the league was suspended for 2009 with Mark a free agent. In 2011, when the SaberCats started back up, they signed Mark back to the team for his 11th season with the team.
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the San Jose SaberCats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
. He was originally signed by the Anaheim Piranhas
Anaheim Piranhas
The Anaheim Piranhas were a professional arena football team that played in the Arena Football League from 1994 - 1997. They played their home games at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. The team was originally known as the Las Vegas Sting, prior to moving to Anaheim in 1996. The team was owned...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at UC Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
.
Grieb has appeared in four ArenaBowl
ArenaBowl
The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site...
s, winning titles in 2002
ArenaBowl XVI
ArenaBowl XVI was played between the San Jose SaberCats and Arizona Rattlers in San Jose, California on August 18, 2002. A game with considerable expectations given the teams' intense rivalry and respective success that year, the SaberCats surprised everyone by posting the most dominant victory in...
, 2004
ArenaBowl XVIII
ArenaBowl XVIII saw the San Jose SaberCats and Arizona Rattlers competing for the 2004 Arena Football League championship. Until 2010, this game marked the last time the ArenaBowl was held at the home arena of the higher-seeded team, rather than a neutral site, and 17,391 fans packed the sold-out...
and 2007
ArenaBowl XXI
ArenaBowl XXI was the 2007 championship game of the Arena Football League and was played at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday, July 29, 2007. It was the third-ever neutral site title game in league's history and the first held in the state of Louisiana...
.
High school career
Grieb attended Oak Grove High SchoolOak Grove High School (San Jose, California)
Oak Grove High School is a secondary school located in San Jose, California which serves students in grades 9–12. Average student enrollment is 2800 students, compared to the state average of 900 students. The school is part of the East Side Union High School District...
in San José, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, where he was a student and a three-sport athlete in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
.
College career
Grieb attended UC-DavisUniversity of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
and was a letterman in football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
. In football, he finished his career, in the school's top 10 in six different offensive
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
categories. As a senior, he passed for a school-record 3,230 yards and 25 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s, and earned First-team CoSIDA All-Region honors, was a Football Gazette All-American pick, and was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy
Harlon Hill Trophy
The Harlon Hill Trophy is an award in American college football given to the individual selected as the most valuable player in NCAA Division II. The award is named for former University of North Alabama and National Football League player Harlon Hill...
, which is given to the NCAA Division II college football MVP.
Professional career
In 19971997 Arena Football League season
The 1997 Arena Football League season was the 11th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Arizona Rattlers, who defeated the Iowa Barnstormers in ArenaBowl XI.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth...
, Grieb signed with the Anaheim Piranhas
Anaheim Piranhas
The Anaheim Piranhas were a professional arena football team that played in the Arena Football League from 1994 - 1997. They played their home games at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. The team was originally known as the Las Vegas Sting, prior to moving to Anaheim in 1996. The team was owned...
of the Arena Football League. Later that season he was traded to the Milwaukee Mustangs
Milwaukee Mustangs
The Milwaukee Mustangs were an Arena Football League team. They played from 1994 to 2001 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Bradley Center.-History:The team was founded in 1994 amidst rumors that the Green Bay Packers would soon stop playing games in Milwaukee, something they'd been doing since 1936...
, and spent 1998 with the Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
of NFL Europe before returning to Arena football with the San Jose SaberCats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
for the 1999
1999 Arena Football League season
The 1999 Arena Football League season was the 13th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Albany Firebirds, who defeated the Orlando Predators in ArenaBowl XIII.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth...
season, where he has remained with the exception of 2001, where he played in the XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
with the Las Vegas Outlaws
Las Vegas Outlaws
The Las Vegas Outlaws were an American football team in the short-lived XFL in the Western Division with the Los Angeles Xtreme, San Francisco Demons and Memphis Maniax...
. With the SaberCats, he has appeared in four ArenaBowl
ArenaBowl
The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site...
s and wins in the 2002
ArenaBowl XVI
ArenaBowl XVI was played between the San Jose SaberCats and Arizona Rattlers in San Jose, California on August 18, 2002. A game with considerable expectations given the teams' intense rivalry and respective success that year, the SaberCats surprised everyone by posting the most dominant victory in...
, 2004
ArenaBowl XVIII
ArenaBowl XVIII saw the San Jose SaberCats and Arizona Rattlers competing for the 2004 Arena Football League championship. Until 2010, this game marked the last time the ArenaBowl was held at the home arena of the higher-seeded team, rather than a neutral site, and 17,391 fans packed the sold-out...
, and 2007
ArenaBowl XXI
ArenaBowl XXI was the 2007 championship game of the Arena Football League and was played at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday, July 29, 2007. It was the third-ever neutral site title game in league's history and the first held in the state of Louisiana...
, although in 2002, on his way to completing an AFL regular season record 13-1 year, he was injured against the Arizona Rattlers
Arizona Rattlers
The Arizona Rattlers are a professional arena football team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Conference in the Arena Football League . The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team. They play their home games at US Airways Center...
, sustaining a season-ending broken collarbone. John Dutton, Grieb's backup at the time, took over and continued to help lead the team to the ArenaBowl, winning it against the same Rattlers. In 2004
2004 Arena Football League season
The 2004 Arena Football League season was the 18th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the San Jose SaberCats, who defeated the Arizona Rattlers in ArenaBowl XVIII...
, Grieb was able to stay healthy and help lead the SaberCats to another win the ArenaBowl against the Rattlers. In 2008
2008 Arena Football League season
The 2008 Arena Football League season was the 22nd season of the Arena Football League and final season before the 2009 cancellation. The regular season began play on February 29, 2008 and concluded on June 22...
, he helped lead the SaberCats to yet another ArenaBowl appearance, in ArenaBowl XXII
ArenaBowl XXII
ArenaBowl XXII was played on July 27, 2008 at New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana . It was the 22nd and final championship game in the history of the original Arena Football League. This was the fourth neutral site ArenaBowl in AFL history and the second ArenaBowl in the state of Louisiana...
, a 59-56 loss to the Philadelphia Soul
Philadelphia Soul
The Philadelphia Soul are an Arena Football League team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They began play in as an expansion team. The team plays in the Eastern Division of the American Conference. They won their first ArenaBowl in 2008, defeating the San Jose SaberCats 59–56 in ArenaBowl XXII...
. After the 2008 season the league was suspended for 2009 with Mark a free agent. In 2011, when the SaberCats started back up, they signed Mark back to the team for his 11th season with the team.
Records and awards
Grieb holds several records in AFL history including:- Most passing yards in one year: 4,796
- Pass completion percentage for one year: 73%
- Passer rating for one year: 133.5
- Career passer rating: 124.2