INDIANAPOLIS —
Robert Marve views football a bit differently after being a spectator for a year.
Marve transferred to Purdue from Miami in May 2009, then sat out last season because of transfer rules. Purdue coach Danny Hope announced Tuesday that the junior will enter practice as the Boilermakers’ No. 1 quarterback and is the expected starter for the Sept. 4 opener at Notre Dame.
The wait made Marve appreciate the sport.
“I think the thing it did the most was made me more hungry,” he said. “It made me realize this was a great blessing. It made me realize this was a big deal. You keep playing football and sometimes, you kind of take it for granted, maybe. It humbled me down and made me realize it’s a really special game.”
With the Hurricanes, Marve took over as the starting quarterback in the second game of the 2008 season. He made 11 consecutive starts and helped guide Miami to five straight wins from Oct. 11 to Nov. 13. He threw for 1,293 yards and nine touchdowns that season, but he was held out of the Emerald Bowl as a punishment for missing class. Jacory Harris started in the 24-17 loss to California.
Harris was selected the starter entering 2009, and on Dec. 30, Marve told The Associated Press he was leaving Miami.
Marve considering walking on at Tennessee. He visited South Florida, Arizona State and Nebraska, and several other schools were interested.
He settled on Purdue in part because it ran a similar spread offense to the system he ran at Plant High School, where he was Mr. Football in 2006. Hope said Marve immediately made Purdue a better football program, but he had to wait.
Marve watched how Joey Elliott ran the offense for a year. Elliott passed for 3,026 yards and 22 touchdowns last season and led the Boilermakers to wins over Ohio State and Michigan.
“I think his biggest thing was the knowledge of the playbook, his knowledge of what was going on on the field,” Marve said. “I felt he saw the field very well. He taught me how to be patient, he taught me the timing of routes, how to manipulate routes.”
Not only did Marve have to sit out, he had to recover from an ACL injury. He finally was ready for spring practice, and he passed for 160 yards in the spring game. He did enough to earn the Newcomer Award, given to the player who makes the most progress in his first spring practice.
“The spring was a great time for me to get my timing back, get my feet wet again,” he said. “I feel like I know the offense very, very good right now. Looking forward to being able to get the ball out of my hand faster and knowing when to make the big play.”
He said the knee issue no longer exists.
“I feel 100 percent,” he said. “I don’t feel it anymore. I’m doing all the running and lifting.”
Marve’s games at Miami played a role in Hope’s decision to start him over Caleb TerBush.
“Robert’s already played in some big games,” he said. “He has more experience than any of our guys.”
Marve is ready to go: “I’ve been counting the days for Notre Dame for a long time now.”
College Sports
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Miami quarterback Robert Marve looks on during the fourth quarter against Florida in Gainesville, Fla. in September 2008. Marve was named Purdue's starting quarterback for 2010 on Tuesday. John Raoux / The Associated Press file photo
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