Groh May Goh!!!

The carousel may have another rider-on-a-horse...
Virginia Head Coach Al Groh ((pictured, thanks joecannady.com))...

Right now, the two sides ((Meaning Groh and the University of Virginia)) are at a stalemate over the coaching staff- which includes Groh's son, Mike, the Offensive Coordinator.

According to OSG sources, Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage met with Head Coach Groh Monday to discuss the future of the program. It appears from that conversation that Littlepage was looking for changes to be made in the offensive half of the staff.

Analysts close to the situation think it's a longshot for Mike Groh to be retained since, in the three years he's been the OC, the team has been ranked 100th in the country ((or worse)) in Division I offensive statistics.

You'll remember, in November, Littlepage said publicly that Al Groh would be returning in 2009. But after the Virginia Tech game, Littlepage did not add the fourth year to the contract roll-over scenario in place. He still has not to this date. Three years ago, the deal was not rolled over. Thus, the current 4-year deal with the University. If it's not rolled over again, the deal is three years in length.

Groh-the-senior could be discussing the roll over with the school in an attempt to get the fourth year returned to the contract. If Littlepage does not do that, then the buyout of the remainder of the contract is proportionally less. After 2009, it's in the neighborhood of $4-million or less. Right now, it's in the $6-million ballpark.

There was also an unconfirmed report yesterday that the Board of Visitors had approved the dollars for a buyout of the Groh contract. They just had to find the money somewhere to finalize the deal. That has not happened, either.

The Charlottesville Daily Progress newspaper reported early Thursday morning that Groh would return as coach. Jerry Ratcliffe's sources in the story relay that the above paragraph is false.

“It serves no purpose for me to get involved in any discussion other than I’m working diligently to get ready for recruiting and for next season,” Groh said in the article.

The coach’s attorney, Neil M. Cornrich, said he wasn’t aware of any official move to buy out Groh’s contract, which runs through December 31, 2011.

“If Al Groh was having those kinds of discussions, I would know it, and I don’t know that,” Cornrich said.

Safe to say the situation in Charlottesville remains fluid and somewhat unstable at present.