GoldandBlack.com - Siller dismissed from school

April 3, 2009

Brian Neubert

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Coach Danny Hope on Justin Siller's dismissal

Boilermaker starting quarterback hopeful Justin Siller has been dismissed from the university for the year for a violation of the school's academic policy, Purdue announced Friday.

The sophomore started three games last season after injuries took down two other quarterbacks and was competing this spring to earn the starting job once again.

Now, with Siller gone, Purdue is left with two scholarship quarterbacks in senior Joey Elliott and redshirt freshman Caleb TerBush, with true freshmen Rob Henry and Najee Tyler coming in the fall.

Siller began last season as a running back, moving from QB after Jaycen Taylor was injured in preseason practice.

But when Elliott injured his shoulder at Northwestern, he was forced to move back to quarterback. When Curtis Painter was injured the following week, he was needed to play.

For the season, he completed 59-of-106 passes for 496 yards and three touchdowns, with two interceptions.

Most of it came against Michigan, against whom he was 21-of-34 for 266 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 77 yards and another score.

He earned co-Big Ten Offensive Player-of-the-Week honors following the 48-42 win.

Because of student-privacy laws, Purdue is barred from elaborating on Siller's dismissal, but head coach Danny Hope released the following statement.

"It's a disappointing conclusion and, as a football team, we feel for Justin and his family," Hope said. "Justin made a mistake - a bad decision - and deserved to be punished. Our hope was that he would not be punished to the extent he has been. Now it is our responsibility to accept the decision and move forward. Justin is a fine young man, and we wish him nothing but the best."

Siller could theoretically re-apply to Purdue after his yearlong banishment runs its course, but it may be more likely that he'll transfer to another school.

Dropping down to the Division I-AA or II level, would allow him to play immediately in 2009. A transfer to another Division I-A school would require him to sit out a year and thus lose a year of eligibility.

Attempts to reach Siller were not immediately successful.

More to come later following Purdue's Friday afternoon practice ...

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