Grothe injury could test USF's QB depth

USF quarterback Matt Grothe was held out of practice with a hip injury Tuesday, and while coach Jim Leavitt characterized the sophomore as being “day to day,” his uncertain status opens the possibility that the Bulls will open their season with a starting quarterback who’s never thrown a college pass.

Leavitt identified Grothe’s injury as a hip pointer, which is a bruise on the pelvic bone, something normally treated with rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medicine. If Grothe can’t recover in time for USF’s Sept. 1 opener against Division I-AA Elon, the Bulls would turn to junior Grant Gregory, who has been at USF two seasons but hasn’t thrown a pass in a game since 2003.

“We will work with Matt and be cautious,” Leavitt said in a statement released by USF’s sports information department.

Gregory redshirted his only season at Indiana, then sat out the 2005 season after transferring to USF when his father, current offensive coordinator Greg Gregory, joined the Bulls staff. He played in two games last season but did not throw a pass. Third-stringer Anthony Severino, a fifth-year former walk-on, has also played sparingly but has never thrown a pass.

The recovery time for a hip pointer varies with the severity of the bruise, but Dr. William Carson, who spent 11 years as the Bucs’ team orthopedic surgeon, said dealing with pain is the primary issue with returning early, not the threat of greater injury.

“With an average hip pointer, you would see three to five days of rest from running and contact," Carson said. "It's a negotiable injury to play with, a safe thing, because you’re not going to damage the hip by playing on it.”

Grothe earned Big East Rookie of the Year honors and was named USF’s Offensive MVP after passing for 2,576 yards and rushing for a team-high 622 yards. He spent much of the spring recovering from a hairline fracture he suffered to his leg during USF’s bowl victory against East Carolina in December.

HESS UPDATE: Walk-on linebacker Houston Hess, the team’s leading special-teams tackler last season, had minor arthroscopic surgery on his knee Tuesday to correct a slight tear in his meniscus, his mother said. Hess is expected to return to full health in time for USF’s season opener, she said.

Comments

[nickdelray]

We need Grothe to be healthy for our Big East opener with West Virginia,as far as I'm concerned Auburn could kiss my butt.If need be,I'll send my Girlfriend to ice Matt's groin..

[Windbane]

Sounds like it won't effect him against Elon.

[mike]

An interview for a blog entry? Nice. Thanks for the info, maybe it isn't as bad as it seemed at first.

I'll tell you one thing about that kid, if the docs say he can physically play except for the pain, unless his hip falls out he will be there for Auburn.

[G.A.]

It's actually just the story that's running in Wednesday's Times, but I talk to people all the time for the blog.

[Stephen]

It is not th e discomfort or pain to worry about, he will play. It is what will that pain make him do different that could cause another type of injury. I have had a hip pointer and I can tell you that you walk and run differently. One hit on that sore spot and it starts all over again.

The Bulls are in a very bad way if they need to play Grothe in the Elon game.

[Dave]

To last poster- he really does need some game reps before going on one of the toughest road trips in the nation. It should be treated like an NFL preseason game, except, you know, fun and important. But don't send him up against any Elon DTs!

[DELdaBULL]

Matt needs to play against Elon even if 4 only a quarter. Put up 21 points and get him out of the game. I really don't like this "hip pointer"

[cee]

stop whining. you are a sad excuse of a bulls fan.