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BULLS COLUMN

Grothe In The Hunt For Heisman

By MARTIN FENNELLY

Published: Oct 16, 2007

TAMPA - The No. 1 quarterback on America's No. 2 team didn't know what the question meant, something about being in New York in December.

December in New York is Heisman time.

When told that later, Matt Grothe was adamant.

"I'm going fishin'. That's my down time."

So there you have it.

Grothe, South Florida's amazing double threat - 312 yards of offense in the UCF blowout, including 100 rushing and four touchdowns, two by land, two by air - is a long shot for big awards. But he's making a name for himself, even if it's not always his name.

Why, on one of those ESPN channels Sunday, as word of USF being No. 2 spread across the land, someone used the F-word when referring to the undersized Grothe.

Flutie.

"It's cool," Grothe said.

You heard him. It's cool.

The Grohawk

He was at Busch Gardens the other night for "Howl-O-Scream" and kept noticing kids in No. 8 Grothe jerseys. Some of the kids were older than him.

Everyone recognized Grothe because of his fame - and his scruffy Mohawk.

Only Grothe's is called a "Grohawk."

Matt Grothe plays New York on Thursday night, or at least close enough to it for a genuine buzz. No. 2 USF at Rutgers, on national television, is a grand stage for Grothe and his teammates. They're on top-ranked Ohio State's tail and they know it.

Win and legends grows.

Matt Grothe, the New School Doug Flutie.

Matt Grothe, the little man's Tim Tebow.

Or is Tebow the big man's Grothe?

"I think that's overrated, the size thing," Grothe said.

What isn't overrated to Grothe is what starts the morning after the Rutgers game, that hunting trip with friend, fellow redshirt sophomore and USF long snapper Eric Setser. They're flying to Setser's hometown of Richwood, Ohio. It's bow season for deer.

They hunted there after the bowl game last season, despite Grothe having broken his leg in the game.

"Nothing was going to stop him," Setser said. "That's Matt."

Imagine, just for fun, Grothe at the Heisman show. He'd be the first attendee to have a camouflage cap in his pocket. That was Grothe's look Monday at USF media day, the huntin' and fishin' king. It's no act.

"Matthew will never change," his father Matt said.

Matt's son is turning heads.

"He's a phenomenal football player," Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said.

"He's such a competitor. I remember last year, he's scrambling near our sideline. He lets one fly. I yell out to the official, 'He's over the line!' Without breaking stride, Matt turned to me and said, 'No, I wasn't!' And he keeps running."

Matthew will never change.

Hunting For Buckeyes

He has quarterback heroes. Brett Favre is one. Grothe loves Favre's jeans commercial, especially the part with the hunting dog in the pick-up.

Grothe and Setser became friends awful quick. They sit in the hotel room on road trips and watch the outdoors shows nonstop.

Setser thinks America needs to meet his friend.

"I think he is America," Setser said. "He wasn't the highest recruited, wasn't the biggest guy, but I tell you, he's got a bigger heart than most people."

The Grohawk plays New York on Thursday.

Among the ESPN commentators at the game:

Doug Flutie.

It's cool.

Then it's off to Richwood with his bow. Richwood has three traffic lights, Eric Setser said. The closest city is Marysville. The next-closest is Columbus, 45 minutes away, home of The Ohio State University.

Good hunting, Matthew.