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Callahan will wait before deciding Purify's fate
BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007 - 11:36:44 pm CDT
OMAHA — Nebraska football coach Bill Callahan said he won’t make any permanent decisions regarding the status of suspended wide receiver Maurice Purify until the player’s legal issues are resolved.
That could still be several weeks. Purify does have a June 21 court date, when he will face two assault charges and charges of resisting arrest, failure to comply and trespassing — all stemming from a May 5 altercation at a Lincoln bar. However, Purify does not have a court date set for his most recent arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Purify, 21, was stopped early Friday morning by the Nebraska State Patrol at North First Street and Cornhusker Highway. Deb Collins, spokeswoman for the State Patrol, said Tuesday that Purify’s blood alcohol level was 0.138. The legal limit in Nebraska is 0.08.
Before his most recent arrest, Purify had been authorized to apply for pretrial diversion in the May 5 incident. However, the city attorney’s office barred Purify from participating in pretrial diversion, based in part on the DUI charge, said Jon Braaten, Purify’s attorney.
Callahan suspended Purify indefinitely following Friday’s arrest. Speaking to reporters following a Big Brothers Big Sisters luncheon Tuesday, Callahan said he doesn’t have any set stipulations that will dictate when, or if, Purify can return to the team.
“Not at this point,” Callahan said. “We’re still allowing him to go through due process. He does have some obligation relative to some personal things that we’re working on.”
Callahan spoke to a crowd of more than 360 at the Friends of Mentoring luncheon at the Forte Banquet and Conference Center. In his speech, Callahan mentioned how he wants his players to be smart, tough and dependable.
He also acknowledged not everyone’s perfect.
“You’re going to have some issues. You’re going to have some problems,” Callahan said. “They go through this everywhere. But we’re going to do everything we can to help those young men get to where they want to go.”
Callahan said Purify isn’t allowed to participate in Nebraska’s voluntary summer workouts or other team-related functions.
“But we haven’t turned our back on him,” said Callahan, noting he’s remained in close contact with Purify. “We’re trying to help him to the best of our abilities. He realizes that he’s made some errors, and he wants to rectify those, and he’s going to have to work hard at those areas in his own personal life.”
One player who is, however, involved in summer workouts is junior running back Marlon Lucky. Callahan said Lucky, who suffered a knee sprain in the fourth quarter of the Red-White Spring Game in April, was cleared to return to action a week after that game.
In other injury news, Callahan said senior cornerback Zackary Bowman, who suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in March and had surgery, could return by late September.
“That’s the target date. But you never know,” Callahan said. “It just all depends on how he responds to that injury. He has improved in the last few weeks.”
ljs
BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007 - 11:36:44 pm CDT
OMAHA — Nebraska football coach Bill Callahan said he won’t make any permanent decisions regarding the status of suspended wide receiver Maurice Purify until the player’s legal issues are resolved.
That could still be several weeks. Purify does have a June 21 court date, when he will face two assault charges and charges of resisting arrest, failure to comply and trespassing — all stemming from a May 5 altercation at a Lincoln bar. However, Purify does not have a court date set for his most recent arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Purify, 21, was stopped early Friday morning by the Nebraska State Patrol at North First Street and Cornhusker Highway. Deb Collins, spokeswoman for the State Patrol, said Tuesday that Purify’s blood alcohol level was 0.138. The legal limit in Nebraska is 0.08.
Before his most recent arrest, Purify had been authorized to apply for pretrial diversion in the May 5 incident. However, the city attorney’s office barred Purify from participating in pretrial diversion, based in part on the DUI charge, said Jon Braaten, Purify’s attorney.
Callahan suspended Purify indefinitely following Friday’s arrest. Speaking to reporters following a Big Brothers Big Sisters luncheon Tuesday, Callahan said he doesn’t have any set stipulations that will dictate when, or if, Purify can return to the team.
“Not at this point,” Callahan said. “We’re still allowing him to go through due process. He does have some obligation relative to some personal things that we’re working on.”
Callahan spoke to a crowd of more than 360 at the Friends of Mentoring luncheon at the Forte Banquet and Conference Center. In his speech, Callahan mentioned how he wants his players to be smart, tough and dependable.
He also acknowledged not everyone’s perfect.
“You’re going to have some issues. You’re going to have some problems,” Callahan said. “They go through this everywhere. But we’re going to do everything we can to help those young men get to where they want to go.”
Callahan said Purify isn’t allowed to participate in Nebraska’s voluntary summer workouts or other team-related functions.
“But we haven’t turned our back on him,” said Callahan, noting he’s remained in close contact with Purify. “We’re trying to help him to the best of our abilities. He realizes that he’s made some errors, and he wants to rectify those, and he’s going to have to work hard at those areas in his own personal life.”
One player who is, however, involved in summer workouts is junior running back Marlon Lucky. Callahan said Lucky, who suffered a knee sprain in the fourth quarter of the Red-White Spring Game in April, was cleared to return to action a week after that game.
In other injury news, Callahan said senior cornerback Zackary Bowman, who suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in March and had surgery, could return by late September.
“That’s the target date. But you never know,” Callahan said. “It just all depends on how he responds to that injury. He has improved in the last few weeks.”
ljs
