USF senior Grant Gregory, the Bulls' backup quarterback for the past three seasons, has been granted a sixth year of eligiblity by the NCAA but said Thursday he will transfer and spend his final season at a Division I-AA program.
Gregory, who has graduated from USF with a degree in communications, said he is considering Towson and Eastern Kentucky, two schools where he would be able to transfer and play immediately this fall. Both schools have majors -- kinesiology and sports management -- that Gregory said he can't get at USF, and both had senior starters at quarterback in 2008, giving him a good chance to step in as starter this fall.
"I've got one last shot, and I just want to play," said Gregory, who said he has coach Jim Leavitt's blessing to play elsewhere.
Gregory's departure leaves the Bulls without an experienced backup to rising senior Matt Grothe. The Bulls will have redshirt freshmen B.J. Daniels and Evan Landi. Daniels played sparingly in two games last fall and is expected to get a medical redshirt after being sidelined most of the season with a wrist injury. Gregory said he believes the Bulls will be in good shape with Daniels and Landi backing up Grothe.
Gregory has connections to the coaches at both I-AA schools he is considering. Towson recently named former Tampa Bay Storm quarterback John Kaleo as its quarterback coach, and Gregory has previously trained with Kaleo in Tampa. Eastern Kentucky's offensive coordinator, Mike Springston, coached with former USF offensive coordinator Rod Smith at West Virginia Tech in 2000.
Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin and we invite your participation in the comments area.
HAHA kid transfers and Grothe gets hurt
Posted by: Chris | September 21, 2009 at 12:31 AM
Basically, if you've graduated from a four-year school and have a remaining year of eligibility, you may transfer to another school and play there immediately if there is an academic reason to transfer, that is, if there's a postgraduate program at your new school you cannot get at the previous school.
It's what will allow Greg Paulus to play immediately at Syracuse, and same with Gregory at Kansas State.
Posted by: G.A. | May 30, 2009 at 11:11 PM
Explain_-NCAA eligibility for DIV 1 & 2 says that you must sit "out a year of residence at a new school". How did it come about that you were able to transfer and play immediately? I'm in a similar situation and have heard a lot of different answers with no solution.
Posted by: Thomas Cook | May 30, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Seems a plus all-around. He gets a chance to play for a year and study for a career he'd like; we get a scholarship back. I doubt he would have been the backup anyway--the extra reps would have to go to BJD to get him ready to start the following year. We will have to find another holder--Gregory has done a great job with that.
Posted by: Ken | January 31, 2009 at 08:07 AM
The Times seems full of a bunch of rebels!
Posted by: Terry Lucas | January 30, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Best Wishes to Grant Gregory. It will be interesting to see how he does. Maybe we can get some updates occassionally.
Posted by: Accountability | January 29, 2009 at 11:16 PM
Terry, you can call it Football Championship Subdivision if it makes you feel better. The Times continues to call it I-AA -- less confusing than spelling it out and then writing (the former I-AA) ...
Posted by: Greg Auman | January 29, 2009 at 10:04 PM
Grant will never get to play if he's looking for a I-AA program... I-AA programs went by the wayside two years ago with the name switch. Sixteen posts and no one else saw this? Everyone must be have wet dreams about JPP.
Posted by: Terry Lucas | January 29, 2009 at 09:46 PM
what was his reason for needing a 6th year? Injury?
Posted by: | January 29, 2009 at 09:04 PM
Wish him luck! He was always a hard worker in the weight room and on the practice field when I was there. He should make a huge impact at whatever 1-AA he chooses.
Posted by: Informidabull | January 29, 2009 at 04:33 PM
So we need about 4 more transfers to get down to 85 scholarships, right? That's assuming we can get down to 25 this class, because I belive you said we only have 21 available overall. If we end up counting 25 this year and get 4 to transfer I would think that would do it.
Oh, perhaps 5 with Anthony Hill.
Posted by: Windbane | January 29, 2009 at 03:47 PM
To get a sixth year, a player essentially has to have been eligible for two medical redshirts. Gregory had a back issue his freshman year at Indiana in 2004, then was sidelined much of the 2007 season at USF with a thumb injury.
Posted by: Greg Auman | January 29, 2009 at 03:27 PM
This frees up another scholarship. This is good news. I wish him luck.
Posted by: John Doe | January 29, 2009 at 03:20 PM
SailingBull...
I realize Smith was the coordinator when Julmiste was tanking games for us.
And as bad as Smith was, I found Gregory to be even worse. The guy was NEVER qualified to be a Big East coordinator. Tight Ends coach, maybe.
And you say Gregory wasn't the issue in our losses? a 2-5 conference record while scoring 19 points per game in conference play (and that includes Syracuse, for crying out loud).
The guy had gaffe after gaffe, but it revealed the truth: He wasn't qualified to be running a BCD offense.
Posted by: RR | January 29, 2009 at 03:11 PM
Jonny, I knew that JPP committed to us, I was looking for an interview with player quotes not his coach's quotes
Posted by: Smooth | January 29, 2009 at 03:06 PM
Hey RR,
Remember Rod Smith ran that show. Gregory was a breath of fresh air compared to that idiot. USF only lead the Big East in offense last year. Gregory WASN'T the issue in our losses... it was defense, lack of depth and a QB that couldn't hit the water while standing in the ocean.
Posted by: SailingBull | January 29, 2009 at 03:01 PM
Thanks, RR. I hope like he77 I'm not thinking about that when I go to sleep tonight. The nightmares!
Posted by: Steve O'Neal | January 29, 2009 at 02:46 PM
Good luck Grant
Posted by: BC | January 29, 2009 at 02:36 PM
Good luck to Gregory. He is a WARRIOR! I remember the busted nose and he acted like it was nothing. I wish him well and hope he gets to play and have fun his last year in college FB.
Posted by: Steve O'Neal | January 29, 2009 at 02:35 PM
Was just thinking randomly about our past offensive problems...
Can you imagine a Greg Gregory offense with Pat Julmiste under center??
(shudder)
That's a frightening thought. If that had ever taken place, I think points scored on defense and special teams would have been our ONLY points.
Here's to actually pairing a good system with a good quarterback for once!!
Posted by: RR | January 29, 2009 at 02:34 PM
JPP! He can inside or out (280 makes him bigger than Stirrups, McCaskil or Harris). This D-Line could be absolutely amazing for the next few seasons.
I wish Gregory the best of luck. The guy is a warrior. I expect he'll have a big year at whichever school he ends up at.
Posted by: David Weber | January 29, 2009 at 02:16 PM
Smooth,
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=9&c=14&yr=2009
It appears JPP has committed to USF... Scout (see above link) now has us as the #24 recruiting class with his signing...
We are STACKED at DE this year...
Posted by: Jonny | January 29, 2009 at 02:08 PM
Just heard we got a commitment from 5-star JUCO DE Pierre-Paul. This is by far our best recruiting class ever!
Posted by: David | January 29, 2009 at 02:05 PM
good luck
Posted by: cg | January 29, 2009 at 01:52 PM
I'm with you, Bill. I was worried he would get the 6th year and stay. Need the practice and playing time for the young guys. Best of luck Grant. Thanks for your efforts.
Posted by: Rich | January 29, 2009 at 01:44 PM
Interesting that he got the eligibility...
I remember when Cinci's QB did not get it...
Why is his situation different? Did he have a medical redshirt?
So if you medically redshirt BJ for last year ...is it possible to red shirt him again for this season...And then get the 6 year of eligibility...
Posted by: Bulliever | January 29, 2009 at 01:42 PM
Good move for all. We will need to see (playing time) who is going to replace Grothe. I am sure father will follow son.
Posted by: Bill | January 29, 2009 at 01:37 PM
Hey Greg, nice story on Gregory. The kid deserves a shot at playing and there's an uphill battle for him to do so here.
On another note, apparently JPP committed to USF, can you find some info on that?
Posted by: Smooth | January 29, 2009 at 01:31 PM