The University hired Al Groh Dec. 30, 2000. “There is not a coach in the college game who has worked harder than Al Groh in trying to build a football program.” Athletic Director Craig Littlepage said about the former coach’s firing. Photo by Jason O. Watson.

Athletic Director Craig Littlepage met Sunday with Al Groh to inform him he would not be retained as the head coach of the Virginia football team, effective immediately. With two years remaining on Groh’s contract, the athletic department will pay him about $4.33 million as part of a financial agreement, according to a University press release.

The decision to release the veteran coach was made only a day after the Cavaliers ended their worst season since 1982 with a 42-13 loss against No. 14 Virginia Tech.

“There is not a coach in the college game who has worked harder than Al Groh in trying to build a football program. Football is his life and he dedicated himself to the University and to our football team,” Littlepage said. “We are grateful for his service and for his commitment to his players and his coaching staff.”

Groh released a statement Sunday night, in which he expressed his gratitude to the “Virginia football family,” including the players and coaches who have surrounded him since he was hired Dec. 30, 2000.

“I have coached Hall of Fame players, worked alongside Hall of Fame coaches, and coached in two Super Bowls, but my time as the Head Coach of the Virginia Cavaliers has been my most memorable coaching experience,” Groh stated. “What I will remember the most are the players’ faces in the locker room after some of the great wins we had over legendary programs like Penn State, Florida State, and Miami; rivals North Carolina and Maryland; and in bowl games.”

During his nine-year tenure, Groh compiled a 59-53 record, won three of five bowl games and was named ACC Coach of the Year twice. But after coaching teams that ranked last in the ACC in total offense and posted losing records in three of the last four seasons — including a 3-9 mark this year — his departure became all but inevitable.

“My coaching philosophy and method of building teams has trust and teamwork as bedrocks,” Groh said. “We were poised to solidify our position as a top team. Instead, as that trust and collaboration deteriorated, I could see this day coming. We arrived with a set of principles that we have tried to remain faithful to and we leave with those principles intact.”

Al Groh saw his nine-year tenure at the helm of the Virginia football program come to an end Sunday when Athletic Director Craig Littlepage released the veteran coach from his contract. With Groh, the Cavaliers compiled a 59-53 record and made five bowl game appearances. Photo by Jason O. Watson.

Discussing Groh’s ambiguous charge of declining trust and a lack of faith, one current player said he believes team members could have better performed to the standards enforced by his former coach.

“I’m not so sure about the trust — I feel the trust on the team is great,” sophomore receiver Jared Green said. “I don’t know what [Groh] means by that. Teamwork — I think the teamwork could be improved. I think there are some things we need to do — we don’t have that culture that we want. You guys can see it on the field — we’re not playing the way that U.Va. football is supposed to be played. I think that’s why we only won three games this year.”

Green said he participated Sunday in a team meeting with Littlepage, during which “players were able to voice their concerns and the criteria that they would like to see in the process of picking a new coach.” Players were allowed to speak with Groh in his office after the meeting but the former coach was not present during the meeting itself.

Littlepage acknowledged that many of the possible candidates to fill Groh’s now vacant position will be involved in postseason play. A nation-wide search will begin immediately.

“Our goals for the U.Va. football program will remain the same,” Littlepage said. “We will pursue winning and excellence in all facets of the University experience for our student-athletes, both on the field and in the classroom. There are a number of excellent coaches whose backgrounds and styles align with our goals and values.”

Littlepage added that he believes the University’s philosophy of achievement and growth will help to draw particularly well-suited candidates to the program.

“When you combine our aspirations with the institutional commitment to athletic facilities and resources, I believe that the job of head football coach at U.Va. will be attractive to some outstanding candidates,” he said.

Though Green did not disclose his teammates’ feelings about Groh’s departure, he did outline some of the attributes he would like to see in a new head coach.

“I want a coach that is gonna be a really personable, relatable guy,” Green said. “I love coach Groh, I really appreciate what he did for me — giving me an opportunity to play in orange and blue — I’m forever in debt to him for that, but I would really like to have a coach that really is just a family man, just really a coach that really has a tight relationship with his players.”

Green said his comments are not at all meant to disparage his former coach.

“My relationship with [Groh] was good,” Green said. “But it was good at the McCue Center, and that’s as far as it went.”

Recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach Bob Price will stay at Virginia on a temporary basis, along with defensive backs coach and assistant special teams coordinator Anthony Poindexter.

If a cultural shift is to take place within the program minus Groh, Green said that change must begin with individual players’ responses and attitudes.

“This is gonna be the time where we find out who the new leaders are on the team,” Green said. “We don’t know who’s gonna step up but clearly there’s gonna be some voices that are gonna be heard across the team. There are gonna be some guys that are gonna be kinda like the shepherds to the sheep, so I’m excited to see who the new leaders are gonna be.”