Al Groh

Head coach, Virginia, 2001 to 2009
Before: Wake Forest

Now

Career arc

Stature score reached, by season of his head-coaching careerFBS medianWake ForestVirginiaVirginia TechVirginia TechBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelWake Forest when he took over: 14.2 (Regional Program IV), its final 1980 readingWake Forest, 1981: 4-7, Regional Program IVWake Forest, 1981: 4-7, Regional Program IV1981Wake Forest, 1982: 3-8, Regional Program IVWake Forest, 1983: 4-7, Regional Program IVWake Forest, 1984: 6-5, Regional Program IVWake Forest, 1985: 4-7, Regional Program IVWake Forest, 1986: 5-6, Regional Program IVWake Forest, 1986: 5-6, Regional Program IV1986-2.5Virginia when he took over: 39.6 (National Program I), its final 2000 readingVirginia, 2001: 5-7, National Program IIVirginia, 2001: 5-7, National Program II2001Virginia, 2002: 9-5, National Program IVirginia, 2003: 8-5, National Program IVirginia, 2004: 8-4, Power Program IIIVirginia, 2005: 7-5, Power Program IIIVirginia, 2006: 5-7, National Program IVirginia, 2007: 9-4, National Program IVirginia, 2008: 5-7, National Program IVirginia, 2009: 3-9, National Program IVirginia, 2009: 3-9, National Program I2009+2.6best: 2004gray dashed: rival programs · ○ the program when he took over · Dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Bowls and playoffs: 3-2

Virginia2002Continental Tire BowlW 48-222003Continental Tire BowlW 23-162004MPC Computers BowlL 34-372005Music City BowlW 34-312007Gator BowlL 28-31

Report card

Below the median offense — 49th percentile.

Virginia, every completed season graded against the whole field, then averaged.

Offense

C+
of which —49th
efficiency — 49th percentile success rate, 2004–09
C+48th
Standard-downs success
C+48th
Passing-downs success
C+46th
Trench push (line yards)
B+76th
Red-zone scoring rate
B-53rd
Power-success (short yardage)
B68th
Ball security (giveaways per game)

Each season is his team’s percentile among every team with that stat (the share it beat), averaged over his completed seasons here; a mid-season takeover year and the season in progress aren’t graded. Letters: A+ 90th percentile and up, A 80, B+ 70, B 60, B− 50, C+ 45, C 40, C− 30, D 15, F below.