Matt Grootegoed

Background

Grootegoed was born in Huntington Beach, California.

Education

He attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, with Matt Leinart.

Career

He played college football for the University of Southern California, and was recognized as an All-American. He was signed by the NFL"s Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2005, and also played for the Canadian Football League"s Calgary Stampeders in 2009. As a junior in 1998, he rushed for more than 1,600 yards with twenty-one touchdowns on offense, and made 130 tackles, six forced fumbles and three interceptions on defense.

Following the season, he was selected as a Student Sports Junior All-American, Cal-Hi All-State first team, All-CIF Southern Section first team, All-CIF Division I Defensive Most Valuable Player (Most Valuable Player), Los Angeles Times All-Orange County Back of the Year and Orange County Register All-Orange County Defensive Most Valuable Player. During his 1999 senior season, he made 138 tackles, six interceptions (including two touchdown returns), seven tackles for losses and two forced fumbles as a free safety, and ran for 945 yards on 116 carries with fourteen touchdowns as a running back.

He also played quarterback early in the season, completing 21 of 41 passes for 300-plus yards. Grootegoed received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Southern California, where he was a four-year starter for coach Pete Carroll"s University of Southern California Trojans football team from 2000 to 2004.

After redshirting as a true freshman in 2000, he earned a spot in the Trojans" starting line-up. Carroll said of him "Things just happen when he"s on the field

He knocks the ball down, knocks the ball loose, forces plays in the backfield and makes plays getting off blocks.

He was a second-team All-Pac-10 selection in 2003. National Football League

On April 26, 2005, Grootegoed was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the 2005 NFL Draft, eventually released to their practice squad, and was later picked up by the Detroit Lions. Grootegoed played for the Lions in the final three games of their 2005 season.

Canadian Football League

The Stampeders released Grootegoed on September 9, 2009.

Achievements

• The Mater Dei Monarch Lions high school football team won three California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) championships while he was a member. In the CIF Division I championship game, which Mater Dei won, he earned Offensive and Defensive Player of the Game honors (he ran for 244 yards, with a 74 average, and two touchdowns). Afterward, he was selected for the United States of America Today All-United States of America first team, Parade All-American, Super Preparatory All-American, Preparatory Star All-American, Entertainment and Sports Programming Network All-American, Cal-Hi Sports All-State first team, All-CIF Southern Section first team, and received the All-CIF Division I Defensive Most Valuable Player Award, Los Angeles Times Glenn Davis Award, Los Angeles Times All-Orange County first team, Orange County Register All-Orange County Defensive Most Valuable Player and All-Serra League Most Valuable Player. You can"t hold him down." While Grootegoed played for the Trojans, the team won three straight Pacific-10 Conference championships (2002, 2003, 2004) and two consecutive national championships (2003 (split with Louisiana State University), 2004 (vacated for National Collegiate Athletic Association violations)). Following his senior season in 2004, he was a finalist for the Butkus Award, and was recognized as a first-team All-Pac-10 selection and a consensus first-team All-American. Grootegoed played for the Canadian Football League"s Calgary Stampeders from 2007 to 2009, and was a member of the Stampeders" 2008 Grey Cup championship team