Grootegoed Finally Ends the Suspense, Chooses USC

Mater Dei standout defensive back Matt Grootegoed ended months of speculation Friday by announcing his decision to attend USC.

Grootegoed, The Times’ Orange County player of the year and winner of The Times’ Glenn Davis Award as the top prep football player in Southern California, also strongly considered UCLA.

The decision, reached Thursday night after a family meeting, was not an easy one.

Grootegoed said a combination of factors led to his decision. He felt comfortable with the Trojans’ defensive scheme. His mom, Joanne, pushed the benefits of private schools. And former Mater Dei and USC safety David Gibson “pumped me up about it.”

“It was a hair more positives with USC,” Grootegoed said. “I felt like I could see myself at both schools, but USC had a couple of more pluses. I’m very confident with my decision.”

Grootegoed enjoyed his visits to both campuses and this week was impressed by home visits from Bruin Coach Bob Toledo and Trojan Coach Paul Hackett, said his father, Russell.

“He was torn between the two [schools],” Russell Grootegoed said. “There were a lot of factors. It was a tough decision.”

When Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson asked Grootegoed on Friday whether he had a preference before reaching his decision, Grootegoed said “it was going by the hour back and forth.”

“I think it was one of the most difficult things the boy had to do, but I was impressed with his maturity and poise,” Rollinson said. “Kids don’t like to disappoint anybody, and that was the overriding theme that became apparent to me. Matt struggled as much with who he was going to disappoint as where he was going to go, which I think is a credit to the young man.”

The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder is expected to play safety at USC, but Trojan coaches cannot comment on recruits until Wednesday, when the signing period begins.

Grootegoed also considered Michigan, Washington and Notre Dame. Washington and Notre Dame fell out of the running, and Grootegoed notified Michigan on Wednesday that it was no longer being considered.

On Friday morning Grootegoed called UCLA coaches to inform them he wasn’t coming, then called USC coaches with the news.

Grootegoed said he felt relieved after announcing his decision. “It feels like 1,000 pounds has been taken off my shoulders,” he said. “No one will be asking any more questions or calling me.”

Grootegoed, who played quarterback, running back and defensive back at Mater Dei, finished his senior season with 891 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. Defensively, he made 138 tackles (seven for losses) and intercepted six passes.

Perhaps his biggest legacy, though, is as a bruising tackler.

As a junior, Grootegoed rushed for even better numbers: 20 touchdowns and 1,238 yards--including 244 in the Monarchs’ 33-26 victory over Long Beach Poly in the Southern Section Division I championship game.

A sprained right ankle kept Grootegoed out of the majority of Mater Dei’s 21-21 tie with Poly in this season’s title game.

Grootegoed played in four championship games in all, helping the Monarchs win titles in 1996, ’98 and ’99.

Grootegoed and Servite offensive lineman Joe McGuire--who’s also headed to USC--were the only Parade magazine All-Americans from Orange County.

“He’s made a life decision,” Russell Grootegoed said. “You hope that it’s right, but you never know until you see what’s down the road. I don’t think he had a wrong decision to make. It’s not like, Is he going to prison or college? Both are fine schools and a dream for most guys.”