Former Miami quarterback Robert Marve is considering walking on at Tennessee instead of accepting a scholarship at Purdue.
Marve said he'd leave Miami at the end of last season after losing the starting job to Jacory Harris.
Marve loved the Purdue coaches during his visit and the chance to compete for the starting position in 2010. He came close to finalizing a decision to play for the Boilermakers last week. But he also long has been intrigued by the Vols.
Miami won't release Marve to Tennessee, Florida or LSU in the Southeastern Conference because it believes tampering occurred prior to his departure from the Hurricanes.
Robert Weiner, Marve's coach at Plant High School in Tampa, said Marve has taken his time because he is leery of making a mistake.
"He really did his homework," Weiner said. "With a transfer, you can't be wrong. You have to make the right choice."
Marve would have two years of eligibility remaining, starting with the 2010 season.
Marve is struggling with the choice, because he would have a chance to compete for the Volunteers' starting quarterback position in 2010, but would have to pay for school at Tennessee in 2009.
Marve's father, Eugene, said the choice was down to two teams, but would not name the two. He added that a decision likely won't be made until next week.
"There's a team that was thrown in, that we started investigating late and trying to get that information and put it against all the factors," Eugene Marve said.
"We took a semester off school to get this done and get it done right. So we think it's important to make the best and the right decision for him. He's taken his due process. We don't see this as a drag-along process. This is a month and a time that this decision should be made, because summer school starts next month and we want to be right on time with that."
Eugene played for Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin while in the NFL, but that is one of the schools Miami wouldn't release Marve to as a condition of the transfer. Weiner said walking on would allow Marve to work around the restriction, though he would have to pay for school in 2009. Weiner said Marve has not had contact with coaches at Tennessee.
The Volunteers, who have senior Jonathan Crompton and junior Nick Stephens, need quarterback help in the worst way and want to sign two in the 2010 class. Marve would at least give them somebody who has experience and could challenge Stephens. Plus, he would be able to practice with the team and learn the offense this season.
Marve started in 11 of the 13 games for the Hurricanes last season, but served two unrelated, one-game suspensions. The second suspension cost him the opportunity to play in the Emerald Bowl. He passed for 1,293 yards with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
One of the prized signings in Miami's 2007 recruiting class, Marve missed his freshman season because of injuries he suffered in a car crash.
Marve split time last season with Harris. After missing his fourth English class of the semester, Marve was kept home from the Emerald Bowl. Although Marve said he was not absent, just minutes late, his appeals went nowhere.
Harris was selected the starter entering 2009. On Dec. 30, Marve told The Associated Press he was leaving Miami.
The former Florida high school Mr. Football award winner started 11 games for the Hurricanes last season and completed 116 of 213 passes for 1,293 yards with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Weiner said as many as 30 schools were interested in Marve after he announced he was leaving Miami.
"He's pretty much been recruited the way he should have been coming out of high school," Weiner said.
ESPN reporter Joe Schad, ESPN.com reporters Chris Low and Adam Rittenberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report.