Marshall 2014 news

Marshall’s depth at the quarterback position took a hit Friday night, with backup Blake Frohnapfel confirming that he has decided to leave the Herd

One of the most talented and productive defensive players in Conference USA will be back for another season.

Marshall announced via Twitter this week that defensive lineman James Rouse will play in 2014 after the NCAA “approved his extension-of-eligibility waiver.” In other words, Rouse was granted a sixth season of eligibility because of medical issues.

Unfortunately for Kevin Grooms, in college sports, as in baseball, very, very rarely are you given a fourth strike.

Over the weekend, Marshall announced that the running back had been dismissed from the football program. The separation came a few hours after Grooms was arrested on a felony burglary charge as well as misdemeanors of domestic assault, petty larceny and fleeing on foot.

Nearly six months to the day it was reported he’d withdrawn from Maryland, Shawn Petty appears to have found a new football home.

While Marshall has yet to announce it, the Huntington Herald-Dispatch is reporting that Petty has decided to continue his playing career with the Thundering Herd. Petty is expected to be on the practice field Wednesday with his new teammates.

Petty was a two-star linebacker in the Terps’ 2012 recruiting class who was expected to redshirt his true freshmen season. Instead, he started the final four games of the season — at quarterback. That’s right, because of season-ending injuries to three Terp quarterbacks in a span of two months or so, Petty, who played the position in high school, was forced under center for the final third of the season.

Petty went back to linebacker for the 2013 season, which is where he’ll line up in Huntington as well