Al Groh
Encyclopedia
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. He is a two-time Atlantic Coast Conference
Coach of the Year, winning the award in 2002 and 2007. Groh has over 38 years of professional and collegiate coaching experience; this history includes 13 seasons in the NFL, a Super Bowl
title with the New York Giants
, and over a decade of working under coach Bill Parcells
.
, on the North Shore
of Long Island
. He is a 1962 graduate of Chaminade High School
, where he played on Chaminade's undefeated, untied 1961 football team under Coach Joe Thomas. He is also a 1967 graduate of the University of Virginia
’s McIntire School of Commerce
. He returned to his alma mater in 2001 as the head coach of the Cavaliers
football team. His son Mike Groh
was a high school football star at Randolph High School
in Randolph, New Jersey
who kicked the game winning field goal in The Star-Ledger
s "Greatest High School Football Game Ever Played" in 1990. Mike was formerly his father's offensive coordinator, quarterback coach, and recruiting coordinator for the Cavaliers.
.
, working with him for over 13 years in both collegiate and professional positions. Groh was an assistant under Parcells in two Super Bowls, including a 1990 Super Bowl XXV
victory with the New York Giants
and a 1996 loss in Super Bowl XXXI
with the New England Patriots
.
Groh began his college coaching career in 1968 as the defensive coach of the plebe squad at Army
, working with Parcells for his first time. Groh returned to Virginia in 1970 as head coach of the freshmen team and later defensive line coach. From 1973 through 1977, he was an assistant at North Carolina
, followed by a year (1978) as Parcells’ defensive coordinator
at Air Force
and a year at Texas Tech
in 1980. Groh received his first head football coach experience with Wake Forest
from 1981 through 1986 where his record was 26–40.
. After a brief return to the college ranks in 1988 as the offensive coordinator
for South Carolina
, Groh joined the New York Giants
coaching staff. He served as the Giants’ linebackers coach from 1989 to 1990 and as defensive coordinator
in 1991. Groh’s expertise in linebacker
s led to Bill Belichick
hiring him as an assistant with the Cleveland Browns
in 1992. Groh then reunited with Parcells in New England from 1993 to 1996 as the defensive coordinator, following him to the New York Jets
as the linebacker coach from 1997 through 1999.
Groh served as Head Coach of the New York Jets for the 2000 season
, resigning after one year to pursue the job at his alma mater, University of Virginia.
history. At Virginia, Groh has become known for his implementing a 3-4 defense
, rare for the college game, and for maintaining his NFL mentality. After a 5–7 record in 2001, Groh led Virginia to four consecutive winning seasons and three bowl victories before another 5–7 campaign in 2006. He was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2007.
, was involved in controversy surrounding comments regarding the September 11, 2001 attacks
in his hometown. In response to a reporter's question about whether he and his team should be afraid to fly their charter plane to Clemson
soon thereafter, Groh stated "I'm not saying this to make light of it by any means, but I'm not planning on having Arabs in the traveling party, so therefore I think probably that the threat of our being hijacked is pretty remote." Both Groh and the President of the University, John T. Casteen III
, apologized and recognized the inappropriateness of the remarks. Subsequent to the 2001 season, Groh was selected as the defensive head coach of the Gray team in the 64th Annual Blue-Gray Football Classic
; Al Golden joined Groh on the Gray team's coaching staff.
of USA Today
, and Groh was voted the ACC Coach of the Year.
earned the starting quarterback position, leading Virginia to a 5–7 season record. No Cavalier player made first team All-ACC team for the first time in 20 years. While Groh acknowledged that the year would be a rebuilding experience and a slow start upset some fans, Virginia athletic director
Craig Littlepage
stated that, "Al will be our head coach" through at least the 2007 season.
Littlepage, however, later refused to exercise an option to extend Groh's contract by one year stating that Virginia's expectations were higher than 5–7. Unlike past seasons, Groh only played one true freshman in 2006, which preserved the redshirt
of true freshman.
columnist Stewart Mandel
. However, after Groh's 2007 Cavaliers lost their first game at Wyoming, they won their next seven games and started 4–0 in the ACC. After Virginia won their ninth game of 2007, Stewart Mandel stated "there's no question he's gotten every ounce out of that team," and revisited his preseason column by stating "I ended up going with Groh, and obviously he's the one who's most proven it wrong." The team finished the regular season 9–3 overall and 6–2 in the ACC, leading to the Cavaliers' fifth bowl game in the past six seasons. Subsequent to the regular season, Groh was voted the 2007 ACC Coach of the Year by the ACC Media Association.
team who had not won an ACC game in its previous 25 attempts, Groh was once again faced with widespread pleas from fans and the media to resign. However, Virginia quickly turned the season around, reeling off 4 straight wins with the emergence of Marc Verica and the efforts of Cedric Peerman
. It wasn't until November 1, that Miami
coming into Charlottesville during homecoming that Virginia lost in overtime ending Virginia's winning streak and knocking them out of the top spot in the ACC Coastal Division. They subsequently lost to Wake Forest
, Clemson
and Virginia Tech
. This marks the fifth straight loss to the Hokies. They last beat Virginia Tech in 2003, their only win against the team under Groh. Virginia's final for 2008 is 5–7 and 3–5 in the ACC.
of the FCS (formerly I-AA). Groh's decision to field three quarterbacks in a spread offense for the game led to a record-tying seven turnovers for the Cavaliers. The loss was the first by Virginia to a I-AA team since 1986, which also came at the hands of William & Mary. The embarrassment of the loss coupled with fears of another losing season once again rekindled calls for Groh's ouster as Virginia head coach from many fans and analysts.
Following the William & Mary loss, the Cavaliers fell to TCU in Charlottesville and then Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS.
Following a bye week, Groh's Virginia team rebounded and reeled off three straight wins, including two road ACC wins (North Carolina and Maryland) and a blow-out over the Big Ten's Indiana. However, after the three straight wins, Virginia reeled off 6 straight losses to close the season.
Following a loss to Virginia Tech in the last game of the season, the University of Virginia fired Al Groh.
, while 19 others signed pro contracts as free agents. During his first five years, Groh maintained a strategy of hiring young, ambitious assistants, and he hoped to build a network of protégés through the football ranks. His assistants have gone on to become head coaches at other Division I-A programs: (Ron Prince
at Kansas State
, Al Golden
at University of Miami
, Mike London
in the Division I-AA University of Richmond
and Danny Rocco, who left Groh's staff after the 2005 season to become head coach at I-AA Liberty University
. After the 2009 season Mike London
replaced Groh as UVA's head football coach). A number of assistants have also gone into the ranks of assistants in the NFL (Bill Musgrave
, previously with the Jacksonville Jaguars
and Washington Redskins
, now at the Atlanta Falcons
, and Mike London
at the Houston Texans
before returning to Groh's staff and then taking the Richmond job).
Under Groh, Virginia had a 3–2 record in bowl games, with the two losses coming to Fresno State
in the 2004 MPC Computers Bowl
and Texas Tech in the 2008 Gator Bowl
. The Cavaliers defeated West Virginia
in the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl
and Pittsburgh
in the 2003 Continental Tire Bowl
and Minnesota in the 2005 Music City Bowl
.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wreck, Engineers, Blacksmiths, and Golden Tornado. There are 8 men's and 7 women's teams that...
football team. He is also a former head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of 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...
football team
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...
, a former head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team
Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest plays its home football games at BB&T Field....
and the former head coach of the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL. He is a two-time Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Coach of the Year, winning the award in 2002 and 2007. Groh has over 38 years of professional and collegiate coaching experience; this history includes 13 seasons in the NFL, a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
title with the New York Giants
1990 New York Giants season
The 1990 New York Giants season was one of the most successful seasons in the professional American football franchise's history. The Giants, who play in the National Football Conference of the National Football League , won their sixth championship—and second Super Bowl—in franchise history...
, and over a decade of working under coach Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
.
Personal life
Born in New York City, Groh is a native of Manhasset, New YorkManhasset, New York
Manhasset is a hamlet and neighborhood in Nassau County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 8,080....
, on the North Shore
North Shore (Long Island)
The North Shore of Long Island is the area along Long Island's northern coast, bordering Long Island Sound. The region has long been the most affluent on Long Island, as well as the most affluent in the New York metropolitan area, which has earned it the nickname "the Gold Coast." Though some...
of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. He is a 1962 graduate of Chaminade High School
Chaminade High School
Chaminade High School is a Roman Catholic college preparatory high school for young men. Located in Mineola, New York, the school was founded in 1930 by the Society of Mary , an international Roman Catholic teaching order of priests and religious Brothers. The school is named for Father William...
, where he played on Chaminade's undefeated, untied 1961 football team under Coach Joe Thomas. He is also a 1967 graduate of 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...
’s McIntire School of Commerce
McIntire School of Commerce
The McIntire School of Commerce is the University of Virginia's undergraduate business school and graduate business school for Commerce, Accounting, and Management of Information Technology. It was founded in 1921 through a gift by Paul Goodloe McIntire. The two-year McIntire program offers...
. He returned to his alma mater in 2001 as the head coach of the Cavaliers
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...
football team. His son Mike Groh
Mike Groh
Mike Groh is an American college football coach and former player, currently the wide receiver's coach at the University of Alabama...
was a high school football star at Randolph High School
Randolph 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, New Jersey
Randolph, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 24,847 people, 8,679 households, and 6,804 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,185.2 people per square mile . There were 8,903 housing units at an average density of 424.7 per square mile...
who kicked the game winning field goal in The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
s "Greatest High School Football Game Ever Played" in 1990. Mike was formerly his father's offensive coordinator, quarterback coach, and recruiting coordinator for the Cavaliers.
Playing history
Groh played for the University of Virginia football team from 1963–65, lettering at defensive end in 1965. A two-sport athlete, Groh also lettered on defense for the Cavalier lacrosse teamVirginia Cavaliers men's lacrosse
The Virginia Cavaliers men's lacrosse team represents the University of Virginia in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse...
.
College
Throughout his career, Groh has been a friend and protégé of Bill ParcellsBill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
, working with him for over 13 years in both collegiate and professional positions. Groh was an assistant under Parcells in two Super Bowls, including a 1990 Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1990 regular season. The National Football Conference Champion New York Giants defeated the American Football Conference ...
victory with the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and a 1996 loss in Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1996 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American...
with the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
.
Groh began his college coaching career in 1968 as the defensive coach of the plebe squad at Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
, working with Parcells for his first time. Groh returned to Virginia in 1970 as head coach of the freshmen team and later defensive line coach. From 1973 through 1977, he was an assistant at North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
, followed by a year (1978) as Parcells’ defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Air Force
Air Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
and a year at Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in 1980. Groh received his first head football coach experience with Wake Forest
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
from 1981 through 1986 where his record was 26–40.
NFL
In 1987, Groh made his NFL debut as the special teams and tight ends coach of the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. After a brief return to the college ranks in 1988 as the 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...
for South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
, Groh joined the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
coaching staff. He served as the Giants’ linebackers coach from 1989 to 1990 and as defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
in 1991. Groh’s expertise in linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
s led to Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
hiring him as an assistant with the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1992. Groh then reunited with Parcells in New England from 1993 to 1996 as the defensive coordinator, following him to the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as the linebacker coach from 1997 through 1999.
Groh served as Head Coach of the New York Jets for the 2000 season
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
, resigning after one year to pursue the job at his alma mater, University of Virginia.
Virginia Cavaliers
Groh was named the head coach of the Cavaliers on December 30, 2000, succeeding George Welsh, who retired as the winningest coach in school and Atlantic Coast ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
history. At Virginia, Groh has become known for his implementing a 3-4 defense
3-4 defense
In American football, the 3–4 defense is a defensive alignment consisting of three down linemen and four linebackers.The 3–4 defense declined in popularity over the years, but has found renewed use by modern professional and college football teams. The 3–4 defense is so named because it involves 3...
, rare for the college game, and for maintaining his NFL mentality. After a 5–7 record in 2001, Groh led Virginia to four consecutive winning seasons and three bowl victories before another 5–7 campaign in 2006. He was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2007.
2001
Groh’s first year as Virginia’s head coach contained struggles both on and off the field. The 2001 Cavalier team posted a 5–7 record, and Groh, a native of New York City and Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, was involved in controversy surrounding comments regarding the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
in his hometown. In response to a reporter's question about whether he and his team should be afraid to fly their charter plane to Clemson
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
soon thereafter, Groh stated "I'm not saying this to make light of it by any means, but I'm not planning on having Arabs in the traveling party, so therefore I think probably that the threat of our being hijacked is pretty remote." Both Groh and the President of the University, John T. Casteen III
John T. Casteen III
John Thomas Casteen III is an American educator. He has served as Professor of English and President of the University of Virginia from 1990 through 2010.-Early life and career:...
, apologized and recognized the inappropriateness of the remarks. Subsequent to the 2001 season, Groh was selected as the defensive head coach of the Gray team in the 64th Annual Blue-Gray Football Classic
Blue-Gray Football Classic
The Blue–Gray Football Classic was an annual American college football all-star game held in Alabama usually on Christmas Day. It was begun in 1939 and held annually through 2001 at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. The game was not contested in 2002 and was subsequently revived in 2003 in...
; Al Golden joined Groh on the Gray team's coaching staff.
2002
During Groh’s second year as head coach, Virginia amassed a 9–5 record with a schedule ranked the 11th toughest in the nation by Jeff SagarinJeff Sagarin
Jeff Sagarin is an American sports statistician well-known for his development of a methodology for ranking and rating sports teams in a variety of sports...
of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, and Groh was voted the ACC Coach of the Year.
2006
The 2006 Cavaliers were a young team with several new assistant coaches. The team experienced some growing pains, and a few games into the season, freshman Jameel SewellJameel Sewell
Jameel Sewell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the Green Bay Blizzard.-High school:Jameel Sewell attended Hermitage High School in Richmond...
earned the starting quarterback position, leading Virginia to a 5–7 season record. No Cavalier player made first team All-ACC team for the first time in 20 years. While Groh acknowledged that the year would be a rebuilding experience and a slow start upset some fans, Virginia athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
Craig Littlepage
Craig Littlepage
Craig Littlepage is an American athletic director at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia...
stated that, "Al will be our head coach" through at least the 2007 season.
Littlepage, however, later refused to exercise an option to extend Groh's contract by one year stating that Virginia's expectations were higher than 5–7. Unlike past seasons, Groh only played one true freshman in 2006, which preserved the redshirt
Redshirt (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...
of true freshman.
2007
In the 2007 preseason, Groh was listed among the five worst coaches in college football by Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
columnist Stewart Mandel
Stewart Mandel
Stewart Lance Mandel is an American sports writer who focuses on college football and college basketball. Mandel was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, attending Sycamore High School, and is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Journalism....
. However, after Groh's 2007 Cavaliers lost their first game at Wyoming, they won their next seven games and started 4–0 in the ACC. After Virginia won their ninth game of 2007, Stewart Mandel stated "there's no question he's gotten every ounce out of that team," and revisited his preseason column by stating "I ended up going with Groh, and obviously he's the one who's most proven it wrong." The team finished the regular season 9–3 overall and 6–2 in the ACC, leading to the Cavaliers' fifth bowl game in the past six seasons. Subsequent to the regular season, Groh was voted the 2007 ACC Coach of the Year by the ACC Media Association.
2008
After leading his team to a 1–3 start, including a 31–3 loss to a Duke2008 Duke Blue Devils football team
The 2008 Duke Blue Devils football team represented the Duke University in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team was led by head coach David Cutcliffe...
team who had not won an ACC game in its previous 25 attempts, Groh was once again faced with widespread pleas from fans and the media to resign. However, Virginia quickly turned the season around, reeling off 4 straight wins with the emergence of Marc Verica and the efforts of Cedric Peerman
Cedric Peerman
Cedric Edwin Peerman is an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
. It wasn't until November 1, that Miami
2008 Miami Hurricanes football team
-Roster changes:University of Miami safety Kenny Phillips and defensive end Calais Campbell made the decision to forgo their senior years and declare for the NFL Draft. Phillips was drafted in the first round, No. 31 overall by the New York Giants. Campbell was drafted in the second round, No. 50...
coming into Charlottesville during homecoming that Virginia lost in overtime ending Virginia's winning streak and knocking them out of the top spot in the ACC Coastal Division. They subsequently lost to Wake Forest
2008 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team
The 2008 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Wake Forest's 56th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference .The Demon Deacons...
, Clemson
2008 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2008 Clemson football team represented Clemson University in the 2008 college football season. The Tigers were led by oft-maligned head coach Tommy Bowden, who resigned six games into his tenth season. The interim head coach was assistant coach Dabo Swinney...
and Virginia Tech
2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach is Frank Beamer. Prior to the season, the Hokies were expected to be in a rebuilding mode, recovering after the...
. This marks the fifth straight loss to the Hokies. They last beat Virginia Tech in 2003, their only win against the team under Groh. Virginia's final for 2008 is 5–7 and 3–5 in the ACC.
2009
Groh and his Virginia team opened the 2009 season with a shocking home loss to William & MaryWilliam & Mary Tribe football
The William & Mary Tribe are a college football team representing the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. William & Mary currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision. As of 2010, Jimmye Laycock is in his 31st...
of the FCS (formerly I-AA). Groh's decision to field three quarterbacks in a spread offense for the game led to a record-tying seven turnovers for the Cavaliers. The loss was the first by Virginia to a I-AA team since 1986, which also came at the hands of William & Mary. The embarrassment of the loss coupled with fears of another losing season once again rekindled calls for Groh's ouster as Virginia head coach from many fans and analysts.
Following the William & Mary loss, the Cavaliers fell to TCU in Charlottesville and then Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS.
Following a bye week, Groh's Virginia team rebounded and reeled off three straight wins, including two road ACC wins (North Carolina and Maryland) and a blow-out over the Big Ten's Indiana. However, after the three straight wins, Virginia reeled off 6 straight losses to close the season.
Following a loss to Virginia Tech in the last game of the season, the University of Virginia fired Al Groh.
Legacy
While Groh was at Virginia, 13 Cavaliers were selected in the NFL DraftNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
, while 19 others signed pro contracts as free agents. During his first five years, Groh maintained a strategy of hiring young, ambitious assistants, and he hoped to build a network of protégés through the football ranks. His assistants have gone on to become head coaches at other Division I-A programs: (Ron Prince
Ron Prince
Ron Prince is an American football coach who currently is the assistant offensive line coach with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. From 2006 through 2008, Prince was the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was one of six African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I-Bowl...
at Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
, Al Golden
Al Golden (football)
Alfred James Golden is the head football coach at the University of Miami, a position he has held since December 2010. Prior to joining the University of Miami, he served for five years as defensive coordinator at Virginia and five years as the head coach at Temple...
at University of Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, Mike London
Mike London
Mike London is the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers football program of the University of Virginia. A native of the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, London played college and pro football as a defensive back for the Richmond Spiders and Dallas Cowboys...
in the Division I-AA University of Richmond
Richmond Spiders football
The Richmond Spiders are a college football team representing the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia. Richmond was the Division I Football Championship Subdivision champion for the 2008 season. Richmond currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of the NCAA's Division I...
and Danny Rocco, who left Groh's staff after the 2005 season to become head coach at I-AA Liberty University
Liberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
. After the 2009 season Mike London
Mike London
Mike London is the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers football program of the University of Virginia. A native of the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, London played college and pro football as a defensive back for the Richmond Spiders and Dallas Cowboys...
replaced Groh as UVA's head football coach). A number of assistants have also gone into the ranks of assistants in the NFL (Bill Musgrave
Bill Musgrave
William Scott Musgrave is an American football coach and former quarterback. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League.-Playing career:...
, previously with the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, now at the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and Mike London
Mike London
Mike London is the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers football program of the University of Virginia. A native of the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, London played college and pro football as a defensive back for the Richmond Spiders and Dallas Cowboys...
at the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
before returning to Groh's staff and then taking the Richmond job).
Under Groh, Virginia had a 3–2 record in bowl games, with the two losses coming to Fresno State
Fresno State Bulldogs football
The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they...
in the 2004 MPC Computers Bowl
2004 Humanitarian Bowl
The 2004 Humanitarian Bowl was the 7th edition of the bowl game. The next edition was played in December 2004, almost a year from this game, and the name was changed after this contest to the "MPC Computers Bowl". This game featured the , and the . In this game Georgia Tech set several Humanitarian...
and Texas Tech in the 2008 Gator Bowl
2008 Gator Bowl
The 2008 Gator Bowl was played on January 1, 2008 as part of the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It featured the Red Raiders of Texas Tech University, who finished 3rd in the Big 12 Conference's South Division, and the Cavaliers of the University of Virginia, who finished 2nd in the...
. The Cavaliers defeated West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
in the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl
2002 Continental Tire Bowl
The 2002 Continental Tire Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on December 22, 2002...
and Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
in the 2003 Continental Tire Bowl
2003 Continental Tire Bowl
The 2003 edition to the Continental Tire Bowl featured the Pittsburgh Panthers, and the Virginia Cavaliers. The game was the second edition to this bowl game. The game was played on Saturday, December 27, 2003 at 11:00 AM EST...
and Minnesota in the 2005 Music City Bowl
2005 Music City Bowl
The 2005 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl was a college football bowl game played between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.-Game overview:...
.
Georgia Tech
On January 15, 2010, it was announced that Al Groh would be taking the position of defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech for the 2010 season.College
NFL
| Team | |Regular Season | NYJ New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
2000 2000 NFL season The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000... |
9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3rd in AFC East AFC East The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets... |
– | – | – | – |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | – | – | – | |||||
| Overall Total | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | NFL Championships (0) | |||||||