Nebraska wide receiver Maurice Purify is ready to put his past problems behind him and focus on conditioning.
BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Monday, August 6, 2007 7:00 pm
Nebraska senior wide receiver Maurice Purify said he was prepared for a harsher punishment than the one-game suspension he received from head coach Bill Callahan.
"I thought it was going to be way worse," said Purify, who will miss Nebraska's Sept. 1 season opener against Nevada. "I thought it would be at least two or three. I'm glad the decision he made was one game, because I wanted to play the USC game."
He will, but his two offseason brushes with the law could be costly down the road. Purify was arrested following a May altercation at a Lincoln bar, then cited in June for driving under the influence. He was sentenced to one year of probation and fined $1,250.
âHopefully, if I get a chance to get in the NFL â-I lost a lot of money, and not only that, I might not even get in the NFL because of that,â Purify said. âI understand I could lose a lot.â
Purify was indefinitely suspended from the team for seven weeks, meaning he couldn't take part in summer workouts or conditioning. Instead, he'd get a copy of the running plan his teammates had done earlier in the day and perform the drills himself at night.
Purify, who reported to fall camp Monday at 224 pounds, said he's in "good enough" condition but probably not as good as his teammates.
"You try to run 18 200s by yourself," Purify said. "It's hard."
He wasn't always alone. Sam Keller met Purify at Cook Pavilion two to four times a week to throw. Cornerback Armando Murillo helped defend. Purify said he also lifted with linemen Lydon Murtha and Carl Nicks.
"He's got his teammates supporting him," Keller said. "He's got me always behind him. That's important. You always want to know the boys have your back in a situation like that. I know he was sorry. It's time to put it behind us, pay the dues and play the first game."
Callahan said players have embraced Purify more than anyone he's ever seen.
"They do like Maurice," Callahan said. "They love him and want to see him have success and do great things."
During his probation, Purify can't enter bars or establishments that primarily sell alcohol.
Not a problem, said Purify.
"Drinking never did anything for anybody," he said. "I'm not an alcoholic. I don't need to be social at bars.
"Three strikes your out. This is my third chance right here. I don't get another chance."
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.