Nearly a month after Brandon Warren returned home from Florida State, the former Alcoa High School standout's football future is still in limbo.

Warren, the 2005 Class 2A Mr. Football, officially appealed to Florida State late last week to release him from his scholarship so he could seek a transfer to Tennessee, his mother said Wednesday.

Brian Battle, FSU's associate athletic director of compliance, told the Tallahassee Democrat on Wednesday the school received Warren's appeal Monday.

A date to hear the appeal, expected for later this month or early May, will be set this week.

The school denied Warren's initial request for a release Feb. 27.

Without a release from his scholarship, Warren is prevented from speaking with Tennessee about a possible transfer. He also would not be allowed to receive financial aid.

"I think we've got a pretty strong case we presented," said Deirdre Warren, who declined to go into specifics about her son's appeal. "Hopefully they'll take our evidence."

Warren abruptly returned home from Tallahassee on Feb. 7, and has since withdrawn from school. He has not spoken to the media since then.

He is still at home in Alcoa, where he has a job and is working out to stay in shape.

Warren was named a freshman All-American at tight end after catching 28 passes for 301 yards and a touchdown last season.

The deadline for transfer students seeking fall admission is June 1, and the deadline for summer applications has already passed.

Neither he nor his mother have had any recent conversations with Florida State coaches, Deirdre Warren said.

"He's not coming back (to FSU)," she said, "so they might as well do the right thing."