Mike Groh
Encyclopedia
Mike Groh is an American college football
coach and former player, currently the wide receiver's coach at the University of Alabama
. He is a former starting quarterback
for the University of Virginia
Cavaliers
in Randolph, NJ, where he was part of the state championship team in 1990. Of note, his last game as a senior is often called the "Miracle at Montclair" or "The Greatest High School Game Ever Played" in New Jersey, a 22-21 victory in dramatic fashion over Montclair High School. The game was the 49th consecutive win for the program, a state record at the time. Groh was the quarterback and kicker on the team, and kicked the game-winning field goal as the clock expired.
as a true freshman. He served as a backup quarterback during his redshirt freshman season in 1992 and replaced struggling starter Bobby Goodman
in a late season game against N.C. State
. However, in the 1993 season, Groh lost the quarterback competition to fellow redshirt sophomore Symmion Willis and again served as a backup. In the first game of the 1994 season against Clemson, Groh alternated with Willis when the offense struggled during a 6-3 win. Groh and Willis continued to alternate at quarterback for the next few games until Groh emerged as the starting quarterback. The Cavaliers finished 9-3 for the 1994 season with a win over Texas Christian University
in the Independence Bowl
. Groh led the Cavaliers to a 9-4 record in the 1995 season highlighted by a 33-28 win over Florida State
and a win over Georgia
in the Peach Bowl. His father is Al Groh
the former head coach of football at Virginia.
before he took on the task of coaching the Cavalier quarterback
s in 2003 along with the receivers. Then in 2006, he was named the teams offensive coordinator
. He was relieved of the offensive coordinator position at the University of Virginia
in December 2008. Groh spent the 2009 season at Alabama as an offensive graduate assistant
as the Crimson Tide recorded a 14-0 record
en route to the National Championship. Louisville Cardinals
head coach Charlie Strong
announced, on January 13, 2010, that he has hired Mike Groh to coach the quarterbacks at University of Louisville
. On February 7, 2011, it was announced he had been given the job of wide receivers coach
at the University of Alabama
.
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...
coach and former player, currently the wide receiver's coach at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
. He is a former starting 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 University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
Cavaliers
Virginia Cavaliers
The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as Wahoos or Hoos, are the athletic teams officially representing the University of Virginia in college sports. The Cavaliers compete in 25 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
High school career
Groh attended Randolph High SchoolRandolph High School (New Jersey)
Randolph High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in grades nine through twelve from Randolph, in Morris County, New Jersey, operating as part of the Randolph Township Schools. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and...
in Randolph, NJ, where he was part of the state championship team in 1990. Of note, his last game as a senior is often called the "Miracle at Montclair" or "The Greatest High School Game Ever Played" in New Jersey, a 22-21 victory in dramatic fashion over Montclair High School. The game was the 49th consecutive win for the program, a state record at the time. Groh was the quarterback and kicker on the team, and kicked the game-winning field goal as the clock expired.
College career
Groh enrolled at the University of Virginia in the fall of 1991 and was redshirtedRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
as a true freshman. He served as a backup quarterback during his redshirt freshman season in 1992 and replaced struggling starter Bobby Goodman
Bobby Goodman
Robert O. Goodman is a former A-6 Intruder Bombardier Navigator and class of 1978 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He was shot down over Lebanon on December 4, 1983. Captured upon ejection from his stricken plane, he was held captive for 30 days...
in a late season game against N.C. State
NC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
. However, in the 1993 season, Groh lost the quarterback competition to fellow redshirt sophomore Symmion Willis and again served as a backup. In the first game of the 1994 season against Clemson, Groh alternated with Willis when the offense struggled during a 6-3 win. Groh and Willis continued to alternate at quarterback for the next few games until Groh emerged as the starting quarterback. The Cavaliers finished 9-3 for the 1994 season with a win over Texas Christian University
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
in the Independence Bowl
Independence Bowl
The Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976....
. Groh led the Cavaliers to a 9-4 record in the 1995 season highlighted by a 33-28 win over Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
and a win over Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
in the Peach Bowl. His father is Al Groh
Al Groh
Al Groh is the defensive coordinator of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team. He is also a former head coach of the University of Virginia football team, a former head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team and the former head coach of the New York Jets of the NFL...
the former head coach of football at Virginia.
Coaching career
Groh was hired on the Virginia staff in 2001 as the wide receivers coachWide receivers coach
A wide receivers coach is a coach in charge of the wide receivers in gridiron football. The wide receivers coach typically operates under a team's offensive coordinator. This coach also typically resides in the coach's box on gameday, often accompanied by or in place of the offensive coordinator....
before he took on the task of coaching the Cavalier 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...
s in 2003 along with the receivers. Then in 2006, he was named the teams offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
. He was relieved of the offensive coordinator position at the University of Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in December 2008. Groh spent the 2009 season at Alabama as an offensive graduate assistant
Graduate assistant
A graduate assistant is a position who serves in a support role at a university, usually while completing post-graduate education. The individual typically assists professors or with instructional responsibilities as teaching assistants, coaches with an athletic team, or university department...
as the Crimson Tide recorded a 14-0 record
2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 77th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 18th within the SEC Western Division...
en route to the National Championship. Louisville Cardinals
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
head coach Charlie Strong
Charlie Strong
Charlie R. Strong is an American college football coach and former player. Strong is a native of Arkansas and graduated from the University of Central Arkansas, where he played college football...
announced, on January 13, 2010, that he has hired Mike Groh to coach the quarterbacks at University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
. On February 7, 2011, it was announced he had been given the job of wide receivers coach
Wide receivers coach
A wide receivers coach is a coach in charge of the wide receivers in gridiron football. The wide receivers coach typically operates under a team's offensive coordinator. This coach also typically resides in the coach's box on gameday, often accompanied by or in place of the offensive coordinator....
at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
.