| Draft Spin Cycle: QB Marve Back on the Radar | ||||
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“We like everything about Robert—his ability to throw the football, run with the football, and lead our team from the quarterback position—and we want him to begin practice with the mindset that he is the guy,” Hope said in the release. “Knowing Robert and his competitiveness, he will not take this decision for granted and, if anything, it will make him more determined than ever to solidify the starting position.” Could this be the first step in the one-time Parade All-American getting back on the radar of NFL scouts? Don’t expect him to join the top tier of junior signal callers—Ryan Mallett, Blaine Gabbert, John Brantley and Nick Foles—but it’s wide open after that. Why can’t Marve put himself in the class of fellow transfers such as Aaron Corp (USC to Richmond) and Cameron Newton (Florida to Auburn)? Physically, the Boilermaker has the arm strength and athleticism, but at 6’1” and 210 pounds he falls short of the NFL prototype. More importantly Marve needs to work on his accuracy and decision making—as a red-shirt sophomore at “The U” he completed just 54.5 percent of his passes with a less than stellar touchdown-to-interception ratio of nine-to-13. When Florida’s Mr. Football chose to go to Miami he was supposed to lead the ‘Canes back to glory and potentially follow the likes of Bernie Kosar, Jim Kelly and Vinny Testaverde to the NFL. However, things didn’t work out in South Beach for the Tampa native and he considers himself fortunate to have found a soft landing spot in West Lafayette, also known as the “Cradle of Quarterbacks”. “Last month I had the opportunity to meet Drew Brees, Len Dawson and Bob Griese and learn more about the quarterback tradition at Purdue,” Marve said. “Now I have the chance to join that fraternity and that means a lot to me and gives me a great sense of responsibility. I am looking forward to the start of training camp and working with my teammates to have a great season.” It’s premature to put him in the same class as a pair of Hall of Fame passers or a Super Bowl champ, but Marve has the potential to play his way into a draftable grade over the next two seasons. There will be no shortage of targets for the transfer to throw to this year with senior co-captain Keith Smith (91 receptions for 1,100 yards in 2009) leading the way. Purdue is known for producing sharp, well-polished passers and may just be the ideal spot for this diamond in the rough to shine. Related Articles: Marve Sets Sights on Sept 4, Notre Dame Draft Spin Cycle: USC Running Backs Let us know your thoughts, leave a comment below... You can email Daniel Mogollon @ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Photo Courtesy of Purdue University Sports Information 
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In a release sent to the media by Purdue University, we learned that head coach Danny Hope has officially named Robert Marve the starting quarterback heading into fall practice. Marve, who began his career at the University of Miami, was tied atop the depth chart with sophomore Caleb TerBush during the spring.