After losing yet again to the rival Hokies, Head Football Coach Al Groh will enter the 2009 season with a shorter leash. Athletic Director Craig Littlepage issued a statement last night explaining that Groh will not get a contract extension after the football team went 5-7 (3-5 ACC), failing to reach a bowl game for the second time in three years.
“In accordance with a specific clause in Virginia head football coach Al Groh’s contract, I have informed him that his contract will not be extended for an additional year,” said Littlepage. “Coach Groh has three years remaining on his current contract. I will be meeting with him in the next 48 hours to conduct a year-end review of the football program. I will have no further comment about coach Groh’s contract or the review process of the program.”
It does not seem likely that Groh will be fired. In early November, Littlepage issued a statement to the Richmond Times-Dispatch that said, “Al Groh will be our head coach.”
But it’s widely speculated that offensive coordinator Mike Groh (Al’s son) may lose his job. UVA’s offense ranks 106 out of 119 teams this year. It hasn’t ranked higher than 101 since Mike Groh took over the job from Ron Prince in 2006.
Al Groh won ACC coach of the year honors last year when his team (9-4, 6-2 ACC) defied expectation to finish near the top of the conference and play in the Gator Bowl. But his contract wasn’t renewed the year before, when the team finished 5-7.
“The expectations for our program are higher than a 5-7 season,” said Littlepage at the time.