Al Groh
Al Groh came to the University of Virginia on December 30, 2000. The stop in Charlottesville Virginia was a return home for the University of Virginia Alumni. Groh was a member of the Cavalier football team from 1963-65. In 1965 he lettered as a defensive end for the Hoos. He would graduate from UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce in 1967.
After leaving UVA Al Groh began his coaching career taking a job at local Albemarle High School. He remained there for one season before moving to Tom Cahill’s staff at Army and was the defensive line coach for the plebe squad. This is also where Groh first teamed up with Bill Parcells. Groh made his first return to Charlottesville in 1970 taking over the head coaching position of the freshmen squad, and defensive line coach for the varsity team. He would remain at that position for two seasons.
From 1973-77 Groh moved on to ACC rival North Carolina, where he served as an assistant coach. During his time at UNC Coach Groh had the opportunity to mold Lawrence Taylor into the Hall of Famer he would become for the NY Giants. It would no be the only time the two worked together.
In 1978 Groh teamed up for a second with Bill Parcells this time at the Air Force Academy where Groh worked as Parcells defensive coordinator. He would travel to Texas Tech in 1980, and then on to Wake Forest in 1981 where Al Groh got his first head coaching job.
Coach Groh would become the second winningest coaches at Wake Forest during his five year tenure from 1981-86. While there he brought the Demon Deacons to their first winning record in 13 seasons with a 6-5 record in 1984. After leaving Wake Forest Al Groh entered the ranks of the NFL coaches,
In 1989 Al Groh reunited with Bill Parcells as a member of the NY Giants coaching staff. In that first year Groh was the linebackers coach for the 89-90 team that went on to win Super Bowl XXV. In 1991 Groh was promoted to defensive coordinator of the Giants.
Groh would spend the 1992 season with the Cleveland Browns and Bill Belichick as a linebackers coach. In 1993 he was reunited with mentor and friend Bill Parcells. There Groh would once again be the offensive coordinator under Parcells, where he watched the Patriots defensive improves every season during his tenure. His success was capped with a second Super Bowl appearance in 1996.
In 1997 Groh and Parcells were on the move again, this time to the NY Jets. Groh spent three seasons there as Parcells defensive coordinator till Parcells resigned in 1999. At that point Al Groh received his first head coaching job in the NFL.
Al Groh was named the head coach of the NY Jets before the start of the 2000 NFL season. He took the team to a 9-7 record in his lone season there. Groh’s legacy with the Jets will always be the “Monday Night Miracle,” guiding the Jets from a 30-7 deficit in the fourth to a 40-37 OT victory over the Miami Dolphins.
On January 5, 2001 Al Groh was formerly announced as the Head coach of the University of Virginia Cavaliers. This is where he has remained for the past five seasons and is preparing for his sixth season at the helm as the Hoos Head coach. During in five year stint with the Cavaliers Groh has compiled a 37-26 record, and taken the Hoo’s to four consecutive bowl games. His lone losing season was during his first year as head coach where he finished with a 5-7 record. His record of 21-19 against ACC competition puts him at second on the All Time ACC wins for UVA coaches.
Amongst his successes at UVA are four consecutive trips to end of season Bowl Games (two trips to the Continental Tire Bowl, MPC Computers Bowl, and Gaylord Hotels Bowl). He has a bowl record of 3-2. Groh also has notched upsets against FSU, Ga. Tech, Penn State, Va. Tech and Clemson.
