When Orchard Lake St. Mary's grad Justin Siller was reinstated to the Purdue football team last spring, the former quarterback was going to have to switch positions in order to contribute, considering the Boilermakers had Miami (Fla.) transfer Robert Marve tabbed as the next signalcaller to come through the 'Cradle of Quarterbacks.'

Siller did that willingly, joining what looked like a stacked wide receiver corps.

Four weeks into the season, and injuries may force the 6-foot-4, 223-pound Siller — who'd been flip-flopped from QB to RB and back to QB as a reshirt freshman, because of injuries — to have to change positions again.

Only question? Which position.

Marve is out after an MRI Monday revealed a torn ACL. One of his two backups, Caleb TerBush, fell victim to academics, leaving just redshirt freshman Rob Henry. The running back situation is no better, as last year's leading rusher, Ralph Bolden, tore an ACL in spring practice. At one point, the Boilermakers were down to just one healthy tailback, Dan Dierking.

Shoot, Purdue probably could use him still at the wideout position, which is without one of the Big Ten's best receivers, Keith Smith, who tore up both major ligaments in his knee two weeks ago.

"We can go further down the depth chart or go to an older player that's played some," Purdue coach Danny Hope was quoted by the West Lafayette Journal and Courier as saying about the quarterback position. "We might have to from a necessity standpoint."

Earlier this week, the Journal and Courier reported that Siller hadn't been approached about making a switch. It may just be a matter of time.

"If the coaches feel like me going to quarterback is the best thing for our team, then yes," Siller said. "Right now, I'm still focused on receiver. Rob Henry and (freshman) Sean Robinson are fully capable of leading the team."

UPDATE: Siller won't be contributing at any position anytime soon, according to Hope. On the Big Ten conference call on Tuesday (Oct. 5), Hope said that Siller would likely be out 3-6 weeks with a sprained foot.

Often times, when a player gets a second chance with a team, the coach of that team tends to take a wait-and-see approach.

Not so with Orchard Lake St. Mary's grad Justin Siller, who's back with the Purdue Boilermakers after a year in community college exile (read my earlier post about his dismissal and his May reinstatement here), and will be a huge part of the team's plans.

"He's back in school, he's eligible, he's on the team, and we're excited about having him back," said Purdue coach Danny Hope at Monday's Big Ten media day in Chicago. "He's a great teammate, a fine person, an outstanding student. Obviously, we missed his services last year."

The Boilermakers didn't necessarily need Siller at quarterback — the position from which he'd engineered a 48-42 win over Michigan in his first start in 2008 — since they had Joey Elliott. The beneficiary of Siller's year-long absence, in that he won the QB derby last spring by default, Elliott led Purdue to just a 5-7 record, but nearly swept the state of Michigan, beating the Wolverines, 38-36, and losing to the Spartans, 40-37.

This year, the Boilermakers will have Miami (Fla.) transfer Robert Marve — who Hope called "as talented as any quarterback (he'd) been around" — but they'll still need Siller's versatility and athleticism.

Hope noted that the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Siller is currently listed on the depth chart at wide receiver, but he could line up at any of the skill positions on offense. That could be especially critical, since the Boilers will be without starting running back Ralph Bolden, who tore an ACL in spring practice. Siller may end up in the mix at running back with Al-Terek McBurse and another converted WR, Keith Carlos, a JUCO transfer who was a runner in junior college.

"He's hard to tackle, can make you miss. He's a heck of a football player and a heck of a guy — huge shot in the arm for our football team if we can get Justin Siller back this year," Hope said. "Justin Siller can be a difference maker for our football team, when it's all said and done, and I expect him to impact a whole lot of football games."

Somewhere, a handful of Wolverine defenders just shuddered.

A full year after he was dismissed from Purdue University for violation of the school's academic policy (and a year and a half after his stunning debut at QB versus U-M), Orchard Lake St. Mary's grad Justin Siller has been reinstated to the program.

"We are thrilled that Justin is back in our football family," said Purdue coach Danny Hope in a release. "We said when he was dismissed from school that he would always be welcomed back. It is a credit to Justin that he did what he had to do to make himself eligible for reinstatement, and I am confident he learned from his mistake. He handled the entire situation with class and demonstrated a tremendous amount of maturity while he was away from Purdue. We are a better football team today because of Justin's character as well as his playing ability."

Siller's collegiate debut at quarterback came Nov. 1, 2008, against Michigan, when the 6-foot-4, 220-pound scrambler — who'd started that season on the depth chart at running back — torched the Wolverine defense for 266 yards passing, 77 more rushing, and four total touchdowns in Purdue's 48-42 win. Siller would make three starts at QB that season, and went into the next spring slightly ahead of eventual starter Joey Elliott. That was before his dismissal from the school last April for his transgression, which has been termed "academic dishonesty" in some quarters, but never fully explained by Purdue.

"It's a disappointing conclusion and, as a football team, we feel for Justin and his family," Hope said at the time. "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 took classes at Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis, and earned his second chance.

"It feels great to be back," said Siller, who will have to change uniform numbers, and possibly positions. "My goal all along was to come back. Even though I was away from the team, I always felt as though I was still part of the program. It was tough sitting out last season, but I learned a valuable lesson. I am proud of the way my teammates overcame some tough early losses last season and won some big games. I am so excited to get back on the field and learn the offense."

With the graduation of Elliott — who landed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent — Siller could enter the QB derby with Miami (Fla.) transfer Robert Marve, last year's backup in Caleb Tarbush, and freshmen Rob Henry and Najee Tyler. Siller could also move back to running back or wide receiver.