Brandon Warren's potential transfer to the University of Tennessee took another hit Monday when Florida State denied the former Alcoa High School tight end's appeal for a release from his scholarship.

After hearing from both sides Friday in a conference call, the three-member faculty panel denied the appeal, saying in a written statement Monday that Warren's argument "does not rise to the level of 'objective evidence that proves the student-athlete's extraordinary personal hardship.' "

Warren cannot appeal the panel's decision, meaning he cannot go on scholarship for one year at his next school.

FSU's decision has no bearing on NCAA rules, which mandate that players must sit out a year if transferring to another Division I school.

He could still appeal to the NCAA to waive that penalty.

Warren based his appeal to Florida State on family medical and financial hardship.

His mother, Deirdre, had a cancerous kidney removed in 2005 and suffered damage to her pancreas as a result of that operation.

In March, Warren's brother, Chalmier Ervin, was the victim of a hit-and-run accident and suffered a broken neck.

Deirdre Warren has been cancer-free since having the kidney removed but was ill for much of last fall.

She said her health problems were the reason Brandon left FSU on Feb. 9.

"After Thanksgiving, I was too sick to go down there for the Florida game," Deirdre Warren said Monday. "I guess he wanted to finish out the football season. Every time he would call home after that point, even before then, I was always (at) home sick. Always sick.

"At that point, I think he thought, 'OK, I just need to go and check on my mom.' "

Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said he told Warren from the beginning that he would not consider granting Warren a scholarship release, according to a letter he sent the panel and that Deirdre Warren read to the News Sentinel on Monday.

"Brandon started for us as a freshman and made first-team All-American. He was big in our future," the letter said. "We spent thousands of dollars recruiting him plus hundreds of hours visiting him and his family.

"We lived up to our commitment."

Deirdre Warren said that a Florida State assistant coach also made it clear from the beginning that her son would not be granted a release.

"(He) told me to my face that Brandon would not get a release, he would not get a waiver," she said. "He would not be able to play football, go to school anywhere.

"They were going to make sure he was frying fish at Up The Creek or flipping hamburgers at McDonald's. They weren't going to do anything to help him at all."

Bowden's letter also said, "If players are allowed to break a contract whenever they wish, we do not need the national letter of intent. Without it, we would allow unscrupulous coaches to steal players from schools, and it would cost thousands of dollars every time this occurs."

Bowden ended his letter by saying, "I would like to see Brandon become a man and honor his commitment."

Warren's mother, who has dealt with all media inquiries since her son returned home, said the family has had no contact with anyone at Tennessee during the entire process.

"We haven't had any contact with Tennessee, with anybody," she said. "Nobody."

She said Brandon has not applied to Tennessee, but still intends to enroll for the fall semester.

He has until June to apply for fall admission.

Warren signed with the Seminoles in February 2006, after a heated recruiting battle between FSU and Tennessee.

As a true freshman, he caught 27 passes for 301 yards and a touchdown, earning freshman All-America honors at tight end.

And despite making what she termed a "good case" to the panel, Deirdre Warren wasn't surprised by Florida State's final decision.

"We kind of figured they would do this," she said. "They denied his request the first time (on Feb. 27), so I figured if we had to go back to them again, they'd deny him again.

"I didn't think they'd do anything different. I guess they don't want to overrule Bobby Bowden."