Grothe Decides To Return To USF For Senior Season

University of South Florida junior quarterback Matt Grothe has reconsidered and will not petition the NFL's draft advisory council and said he definitely is returning for his senior season.

Two weeks ago, Grothe told The Tampa Tribune he would check with the advisory council to see what his projected draft status would be if he left early. He also said if projected to be selected in the first four rounds, he "probably would go" to the NFL and not return for his senior season.

Today, though, Grothe said he will not contact the advisory council and will return for his senior season. The Bulls close the regular season Saturday at West Virginia.

"I'm coming back next year," Grothe said. "I guess I'll just come back and play well next year and hopefully go out with a bang my senior year."

When he does, Grothe likely will be playing behind former Florida State and Jefferson OT Daron Rose, who said he will attend USF next year.

Mike Detillier, an NFL draft expert with M & D Draft Report and SaintsReport.com, said Grothe would benefit from another year in college. Detillier projected Grothe as a sixth- or seventh-round pick if he came out this year in a heavily junior-laden draft.

"He's a good college player, tough kid, mobile and he has improved his overall accuracy skills," Detillier said. "But he is not real tall and has a tendency to blow hot and cold with his accuracy.

"I see a lot of rough edges in his passing game and techniques. He needs to come back his senior season and refine his overall skills as a passer."

NFLDraftScout.com rates Grothe as the nation's 18th-best NFL quarterback prospect.

Blocking for Grothe will be the 6-5, 284-pound Rose, a former prep All-American who signed with FSU in 2006. Rose played two seasons at FSU, starting 11 games as a sophomore in 2007. However, in May 2008, he was ruled academically ineligible. He is attending Hillsborough Community College this year and will have two years of eligibility (2009-10) at USF.

"This was the best fit for me," Rose said. "Just sitting down and thinking about it and praying about it, going back to Florida State wouldn't have been the best option for me."

As a senior at Jefferson in 2005, Rose was rated among the nation's top recruits under Mike Simmonds, now USF's offensive line coach.

While Grothe definitely will return, USF officially announced it would submit the paperwork with the NFL Draft advisory committee for junior defensive end George Selvie, who is projected as a first-round pick.

Selvie, who purchased an insurance policy before the season in case he suffered a career-ending injury, has said he won't make a decision whether he will return for his senior season until after USF's bowl game.