Chance Purvis Suspended From ECU Football Team After Arrest

Chance Purvis, the lone returning starting defensive lineman for East Carolina was arrested on Tuesday.

Purvis was charged with second degree kidnapping and breaking and entering with intent to terrorize or injure. Purvis was booked on a $10,000 bond and has been suspended indefinitely from the East Carolina football team.

Purvis, out of Lamar High in Meridian, Mississippi was a two-star ranked prospect with Rivals.com where ECU was his only known offer. He has made 68 tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss in his East Carolina career and is the third ECU player to have a run in with the law this year.

Offensive lineman Cortez Herring was arrested in January with intent to sell and distribute marijuana. Herrin was suspended from all team activities after the charge. Redshirt sophomore defensive end Dorian Hardy was also charged earlier this year for failure to appear in court on a misdemeanor charge.

"We are aware of the situation concerning Chance Purvis and consider these charges as very serious and completely unacceptable. Chance has been suspended from all football related activities until further notice,” said Mike Houston in a prepared statement, “We will continue to monitor the situation, but since this is a legal matter, any additional comment on our part would be inappropriate at this time.”

Over the last two seasons, Purvis has played in 22 games including starting in all twelve games at defensive end last season. He was credited with 51 tackles, four sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 2020.