Marve named starter vs. Penn State

Danny Hope from GoldandBlack.com on Vimeo.

After leading Purdue's offense on a pair of second-half touchdown drives, Robert Marve will start at quarterback for Purdue against Penn State, Coach Danny Hope said Sunday.

Marve started the season opener when Caleb TerBush was suspended for violating team rules, but TerBush got the starts in Games 2-8.

TerBush completed 5-of-18 passes for 49 yards, a touchdown and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown in Purdue's 44-28 loss to Minnesota.

Marve, who entered the game in the third quarter with the Boilermakers losing 44-7, completed 11-of-19 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns. He didn't throw an interception.

"Robert got a chance to play and played very well, so Robert is the starter," Hope said before the team's practice on Sunday. "Obviously we're making a change at the quarterback position based on competition. There never has been a quarterback controversy. It has been a management nightmare from an injury standpoint for the guys to get the reps that they needed. It's unfortunate that at times the media can spin it like there's a quarterback controversy and the fans embrace that perception, if you will, and a wrong connotation. It had been competition all along. (Saturday) there was competition, and Robert competed and played better."

Marve re-injured his left knee against Notre Dame in Week 2 and returned to the field against Michigan. He has said multiple times that he feels no pain in his knee, on which he wears a brace.

Marve didn't play a down at Ohio State on Oct. 20, the week before the game Saturday against the Gophers.

Only Rob Henry was made available to speak with reporters on Sunday, but Marve said after the game Saturday that it has been difficult to enter games late or not know when he may play.

"It's a whole different game when you come into a situation like that," he said after the game. "You have to understand the flow of the game a little bit. It's rough. I've been saying that from the get-go."

Marve was adamant that Purdue still could bounce back this season, saying he thinks players just need to play.

"You have to ride with the punches and when it's your time to shine and they call on you, that's what you've got to do," he said.

On the season, Marve has completed 65 percent of his passes, averaged 119 passing yards per game and has six touchdown passes to two interceptions. TerBush has completed 58 percent of his passes for 142 yards per game, has 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Against the Gophers, Marve led three drives in the second half. Purdue had 34 plays, 195 yards and 14 points on those possessions.

"When it was all said and done (Saturday), I thought Robert played a heck of a ballgame," Hope said. "He didn't have any incompletes when you look at quarterback stats. He was 11 for 19 official stats but was 15 for 18 quarterback stats. He had a tipped ball and three drops. He didn't have many incompletions. Thought he played very well. Caleb's numbers were not near as good. He had some dropped balls and some people that didn't play near as well around him."

Hope said he'll make the decision on who will be the No. 2 quarterback as the week goes on.

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