Miami clears USF as an option for QB Marve

Interesting news out of South Florida last night -- saw it, but didn't have time to get it up on the blog amid the craziness at Dolphin Stadium -- that Miami has loosened its restrictions on where quarterback Robert Marve can transfer, allowing him to go to USF or Central Florida. Here's the story posted late last night from the Times' Ed Encina.

I've been saying for weeks that I did not believe Miami would release Marve to a school that would be on its schedule for at least two years Marve would be eligible. I still don't quite understand it from a self-interest standpoint -- why would the Hurricanes passionately block SEC schools that have no immediate impact on them, but allow Marve to beat them on the field down the road?

If you've followed the story in the last week, Marve's father, Eugene, has mentioned that his battle with prostate cancer is a factor in Marve wanting to leave and be closer to home, which makes USF and UCF the most obvious options since Florida is still blocked. USF certainly has a history with hardship waivers for players coming closer to home because of family illnesses, and this would seem to qualify as much as some that have been granted in the past few years. Matt Grothe is entering his senior year, with a wide-open battle to be his successor in 2010 -- that would coincide with Marve's junior year, with B.J. Daniels as the best challenger for the starting nod right now.

USF is finishing its first week of spring classes today, so if Marve wants to transfer to the Bulls for the spring semester, things will have to happen very quickly. We'll have much more on this story as the day unfolds and I get back to Tampa.

Comments

[Ken]

I'll wait for your update, but from what I've read, his being admitted as a normal transfer student doesn't sound likely anywhere (except maybe at a CC), so he's going to have to go somewhere on scholarship with the special admit help.

[Greg Auman]

I'll have a Marve post shortly -- nothing huge in terms of news -- but a few things to clarify: Marve could go to a blocked school as a walk-on for a year and then go on scholarship, but (a) he'd have to get in academically as a normal student and (b) he would not be able to speak directly with coaches or athletic personnel because they would not have the release they need to speak with him. Again, hurdles that can be cleared, but hurdles.

[Steve O'Neal]

The coaches at Armwood seem to push their players in other directions than USF. At least on the defensive side(defensive coordinator). Because of Jarriet's academics it was probably a good idea that he stayed close to home where he had family support. Anyway, I'm not sure Marve wants to come to USF or whether USF wants Marve. I'm more concerned with getting quality linemen on both sides. I hope that the Giddens visit goes well this weekend. GO BULLS!

[David Weber]

Marve's talent is close to, if not equal to BJ's. And he's better than Landi, no doubt. So from a depth standpoint, he'd be a great addition. I don't think he'd pull a holier-than-thou attitude, especially in the 2010 off-season (the competition kicking off the post-Grothe era). So football-wise, I don't think his attitude would be a problem.

His off-field attitude could be a problem, however. Everybody I know from Miami, including a guy up here at Pitt Law, have this incredibly misplaced sense of academic superiority when discussing USF, FSU, and UCF. If Marve wasn't working hard at UM, he probably would continue the same habits at USF. And, just like every other college in the nation, if you don't put effort in, you fail. So even if he gets in, his grades could be a problem (if the low GPA rumor is true).

For USF, the best benefit may be getting a foot in the Plant door, although taking Buie's grades didn't exactly open up Armwood to us.

Anyways, given the risk (academic suspension) vs. the reward (2 years of starting) vs. the known (stays qualified academically and would be a top-notch backup), I think we take the risk and see what happens. Obviously I have a problem with the academic issues, but maybe he'll straighten out.

[Al]

HCC would be the perfect place for Marve...Close to his daddy, mommy, close to his mentor Whiner and the cost is pretty low.

[Ken]

MPA makes an interesting point, and if he goes to a Florida school (say, UF), the cost is really pretty minimal. Out-of-state tuition, though, for a year at Tennessee or LSU would be a lot bigger ticket--I don't know anything about his family finances. I also wonder whether he would be admitted without the athletic scholarship--can they get special admits for "non-scholarship potential players in the future"?

[Ken]

It is add and drop week, and of course people do both. If one misses that, and not for a course or two, but for all of them, what I was saying was that's a bit of a hole and that it will be a lot deeper if he isn't attending the first class meetings of the second week of class (coming Monday and Tuesday, usually).

[Bulliever]

UMMMM, I don't remember it being that big of a deal to miss the first week of classes, and in most cases it was only 2 classes and drop/add was usually going on that week...

And during my Freshman and Sophomore year that is pretty much how I got 1/2 of my classes.

Students could normally make up the work missed in the first week!

[Ken]

USF has completed the first week. I don't know the NCAA rules at all, but practically and academically, anyone, having missed class this week, misses the first meetings of the second week (Monday or Tuesday) is going to have a very tough time of it--and if they aren't much of a student anywhere, it would be that much tougher. Now, maybe they could find him a bunch of online courses, where picking up by the middle of the second week might work?

[USF MPA]

The media is really missing the boat on this. Marve can go anywhere he damn well pleases. He simply has to pay his own way for one year and then he can be scholarshiped in 2010. He, his family and his HS coach are nothing but crybabies. Pay your way for ONE year and go wherever you want. Parents of all sorts make sacrifices to pay for their kids to go to college....Why can't the Marves? Can he really believe he is that entitled?

[DELdaBULL]

Is he even academically eligible?

[Don Corleone]

If he meets certain qualifications and matures, I would welcome him on board. I would put him on a short leash.

[Steve O'Neal]

Thank you, GA. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[Greg Auman]

Steve, Giddins is in for an official visit this weekend. Everything I've been told is that it will come down to UF or USF, with the Bulls in good position.

[Eric]

To edumacation... So we recruit like UCF. How far would that get us? Elite teams can recruit both skills and academics. And there is such a difference between football smarts and school smarts.

[Al]

Greg,

Yep, I mistook what you wrote.

[Steve O'Neal]

Cee, did you and your hillbilly wife/sister burn a couch to celebrate your meineke bowl victory?

[Steve O'Neal]

I'm not going to wory about him unless he becomes a Bull. GA, have you heard anything on Ryne giddens(Armwood)? My son-in-law is a teacher at Armwood. He said what he's hearing is that Ryne likes USF but the line coach at Armwood is pushing UF. He'd like to get him up there with Davis and Patchan.

[cee]

USF doesn't deserve a 4-star QB like robert marve. for some reason, leavitt enjoys staying 'home' for a bowl game and headed to some pinellas magicjack/skype/vonage crapbowl game.

[cg]

Happy with the team, but by all means if Marve WANTS to be a Bull he will have my support like all the other players who suit up.

[Greg Auman]

Al, I know that. For him to enroll at USF and be counted for this semester, he needs to start classes by the sixth day of class, as I understand it ...

[Al]

Greg....Spring classes began on January 5th at USF.

[Sam Diaz]

Greg, You have got to be the college beat writer in the business! It will be interesting to hear what you come back with. I wonder what kind of package offer and official visit for Marve USF is putting together now that they have permission from Miami to work something out with him. I would expect we will hear something from USF or Leavitt on Marve and their interest in him shortly. With Landi moving to another position next year and Grant Gregory moving on most likely, coupled with no qbs being recruited,plus USF's good chance at getting a hardship for Marve to play in spring from the NCAA... there is a
good chance if Marve wants to come that USF would jump at the chance for Marve to challenge Grothe and take over in 2010. With his experience and talent showcased in USF's spread, imho he would beat BJ out with a 1 1/2 years in our system. This would open the door to the Plant pipeline of talent for the future as well, starting with Orson Charles!

[Al]

Sam...What happens at Marves next school when he doesn't become the starter? History has a way of repeating itself.

Contrary to what Marve thinks, he's not the only fish in the sea.

He's already proven himself to be a problem child. USF doesn't need him.

[Greg Auman]

One of our high school writers, Ed Encina, has been doing the work on the Marve end -- those guys who cover the preps in Hillsborough have better relationships with the family. I'll just check on things from the USF end ...

[Sam Diaz]

Actually,Shannon made it clear to Marve that Harris was his quarterback for next season and the future with his actions and words. Marve was asked to leave if he could not be a team player to keep his commiment to the U and accept his spot on the bench humbly for the remainder if his career there. If your coach did not believe in you and did not want you, would you stay. If you were not wanted, would you waste away 3 years of your life on the bench for the U. I think you along with most people would agree you would move to a school that wanted you as a starter and for a fresh start.

[Al]

Hey Sam...Miami didn't spurn Marve...he quit! USF doesn't need a quitter.

[Al]

Greg...When the going gets tough the tough get going. Marve on the other hand quits and runs away.

I wouldn't want him on my team.

[Sam Diaz]

This would make for a great story. Former hometown hero now reclamation project Robert Marve leads his local team USF to national prominence to Big East and BCS title with program changing wins against former team Miami that spurned him, along with Notre Dame and UF. He has the talent and potential, and a NFL caliber arm to boot if he could come back home and put it together off the field and character wise. Marve, come back to lead the hometown team for your last 2 years! Greg, I cannot wait to hear the news on what he decides. Can you snag an interview with the Marves to get their real take on USF?

[Greg Auman]

From Marve's standpoint, remember that Matt Grothe was firmly entrenched as a starter entering his sophomore year when Marve was making his college decision.

Miami, meanwhile, was fairly wide-open, at least after his first season on campus. For him to choose Miami, he'd have to be confident enough as a high school senior to think he could unseat the Big East Rookie of the Year, just one year ahead of him in eligiblity.

I just think fans should remember that just because a player doesn't choose a school, that doesn't mean he doesn't like a school -- it just might mean the situation isn't ideal for playing time.

[Greg Auman]

What do I think? From the outside looking in, I think Marve has more than enough talent -- and experience as a college starter -- to be worth a scholarship at USF. USF has to decide if it's worth whatever baggage comes with him, including any academic problems that led to him being suspended at Miami.

Again, not sure when spring classes start elsewhere, but if he wants to be at USF this spring, things will have to come about in a major hurry.

[Jonathan]

Also, the people saying they don't want Marve because he already had a chance to join USF and chose Miami are forgetting how often USF gets good players only after their initial situation doesn't work out.

We'd LOVE to have you Marve.

[Jon]

It would be GREAT to get Marve. He could compete for the starting position starting in 2010 (or maybe even in 2009 if he gets a wavier and Grothe doesn't play much better than last year). And play against Miami and Florida.

We could offer Marve a chance to propel USF above Miami in recruiting buy repeatedly beating them head to head.

I think he will become a Bull.

[Edumacation]

Am I the only person who thinks having "stupid" football players is killing our chances of going over the edge. At least half of the recruits that come here pick USF because of its lax in academic standards for atheletes. I have been in classes with football players and most of them never show up to class. Lets look at the facts:

Avg incoming GPA for freshman at USF:
3.4
Avg gpa of the football team:
2.2

Stupid players lead to incompetence and bonehead plays. The school needs to start recruiting smart players and get rid of all the thugs, brainless oafs...

[Mike Lakeland]

no.

No.

NO.

I don't want him and his baggage!

[JJ]

Who does Weiner think he is? This is not about hating, ... but look at the facts... his success is based on recruiting, period. Let's see him coach at Leto or Blake. Last year Wharton asked for 1 special assignment player. The county said no. Most schools have none.. Plant has 18! 18! 18 kids on special assignment to play football. Neighborhood kids sit. It is simply an all-star team. While weiner, I'm sure works hard, and is competant, the real heroes are the coaches at the poor schools.
Lighten up coach, ...
your job is to coach up the neighborhood kids, ... and make them better people.

[Richard Todd]

Anytime you get a chance to get a QB with the potential of Marve you take a chance and then let the chips fall were they may. I trust the coaches to make the right decision for what is best for the Bulls.

Greg - What are your thoughts on the possible transfer of a player like Marve to the Bulls.

[Eric S.]

Marve had a chance to become a Bull when he graduated from Plant. He could have played close to home then.

USF has experienced enough issues with problem players, and several of them were quarterbacks. They should pass on this guy, unless they feel that they do not have a legitimate successor to Grothe.

[JT (Atlanta)]

They blocked the SEC schools because they know that's where Marve really wants to go.

I also agree with the general consensus so far. It's tough for me to say, because Marve would fit really well in our offense, and competition in the future for QB is usually a good thing, but I think we should pass. In the great words of Mike Singletary:

"I will not tolerate players who think it's about them, when it's about the team... Cannot play with him. Cannot win with him. Cannot coach with him. Can't do it."

[Robert]

It was reported that Miami doesn't want Marve to go to LSU, Florida, or Tenn because someone in his family had already been talking to those schools about transfering before he was even granted release from Miami.

[cg]

Great news! I can't wait until the 2010 season when B.J. Daniels is our starting QB. Also, the coaches seem to be pretty high on Landi.

[RR]

I'd rather go with BJ Daniels, who wanted to be at USF, than possibly waste a scholarship on Marve & family, who don't apparently don't want to be Bullievers.

Posted by: Norb
------------------------------------------

Agree 100%.

[Al]

USF doesn't need a problem child like Robert Marve with mentors like Weiner and Eugene.

How would he qualify to enroll at USF? I heard that he had something like a 1.4 or 1.5 GPA.

If USF takes him...I will "lose interest" in Bulls football.

[Norb]

I'd rather go with BJ Daniels, who wanted to be at USF, than possibly waste a scholarship on Marve & family, who don't apparently don't want to be Bullievers.

[CR]

Greg
The news in Miami is that he really wants to go to Tenn, so UM is loosening the USF and UCF ties to deflect the parennt's push to loosen the restrictions by using the family illness reason. So now UM is basically saying to the Marves. Prove it you want to be closer go to USF or UCF but not what they think is the real target Tenn.