Marve picks Purdue over UT

KNOXVILLE — Former University of Miami quarterback Robert Marve on Thursday announced plans to transfer to Purdue over Tennessee.

Marve chose the Boilermakers over several major NCAA Division I scholarship offers, including UT — where he wouldn’t have been given a scholarship until at least January.

The former Hurricane won’t be able to play this fall, per NCAA transfer rules, but he could be eligible to play in 2010, with two remaining years of eligibility.

Marve, who initially committed to Alabama but switched to Miami after the Crimson Tide fired Mike Shula, was one of the country’s premier high school quarterback prospects in 2007. He had more than 4,000 passing yards and nearly 50 touchdowns as a senior for state champion Tampa (Fla.) Plant High School.

Setbacks have littered Marve’s career the past two years, though. He redshirted the 2007 season after injuring his left (non-throwing) hand in an automobile accident, and he struggled throughout 2008 as the team’s primary starter. He missed two games for two separate suspensions, and he tossed just nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his 11 starts.

Marve chose to transfer in December, but Miami coach Randy Shannon wouldn’t release him to UT, Florida, LSU or any Atlantic Coast Conference school. Shannon added the Vols, Gators and Tigers because, according to a Miami release, the school suspected someone close to Marve called those three schools on the player’s behalf before he requested a release.

For more on this story, read Friday’s Times Free Press Sports section.