As one of the main contenders for Purdue’s starting quarterback job has suffered what’s likely a season-ending injury and another who is still recovering from a season-ending injury suffered last year, the Boilermakers have officially decided to turn to a player who was merely an afterthought in the battle just a few days ago.
Head coach Danny Hope announced Sunday afternoon that Caleb TerBush will be his starter for the season opener against Middle Tennessee.
“I wanted to make sure we had a chance to come in and look at the film from the scrimmage work [Saturday],” Hope said in making the announcement. “I felt good about Caleb going into the scrimmage but we wanted to see what was on the video tape. He was where we thought he was.”
Hope added that Sean Robinson will receive reps in the opener as well.
“We have to get a No. 2 QB ready,” the coach said, “and we plan on playing [Robinson] throughout the course of the game at an earmarked point and time.”
Robert Marve started Purdue’s first four games last season before suffering a torn ACL that knocked him out for the remainder of the year. Marve’s rehab is still ongoing, with the Miami transfer stating late last week that he likely wouldn’t be able to take the field until the start of Big Ten play in early October. That opened the door for Rob Henry to again take the reins of the Boilermakers’ offense; unfortunately, Henry’s ACL slammed the door shut on that plan Wednesday.
All of that injury tumult at the position has led Hope placing his offensive, um, hopes in the inexperienced hands of TerBush. In his three years in West Lafayette, the redshirt junior has attempted a total of 10 passes; all of those came in one game during the 2009 season.