Callahan: WR Purify suspended indefinitely

LINCOLN - Nebraska standout wide receiver Maurice Purify was suspended indefinitely from the team Friday following his second arrest in just over a month.

Purify, a 21-year-old senior from Eureka, Calif., was cited for suspicion of DWI after being stopped by the Nebraska State Patrol at 12:25 a.m. Friday at North First Street and Cornhusker Highway, according to Deb Collins, spokeswoman for the State Patrol. Purify was pulled over for speeding and failure to signal a turn, Collins said.

No blood-alcohol level was released, she said.

Nebraska coach Bill Callahan released a prepared statement: “We are aware of Maurice's situation and we take it very seriously. I met with Maurice (Friday) and explained to him that he is indefinitely suspended from the team. At this point, his future status with our team is uncertain.”

Reached late Friday morning, Purify was asked if he expects to remain a member of the team. “I hope so,” he said, declining further comment.

Purify was arrested May 5 and jailed on suspicion of two counts of assault, trespassing, failure to comply and resisting arrest. The charges stemmed from an alleged altercation at a downtown Lincoln tavern.

Purify's attorney, Jon Braaten of Lincoln, said Friday that Purify had been authorized to apply for pretrial diversion for the May 5 incident and was in the process of deciding whether to sign up.

Braaten said he was unsure how Purify's DWI arrest might affect matters.

“It'll be something that needs to be put into consideration,” Braaten said.

John McQuinn, Lincoln's chief city prosecutor, said he should know early next week whether Purify would be eligible for pretrial diversion, a program that diverts arrested parties from formal legal proceedings.

“All I know is what I've heard from news media, that he's been arrested,” McQuinn said late Friday afternoon.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Purify caught 34 passes last season for a team-leading 630 yards. He is considered the team's go-to receiver and arguably its best offensive player.

After transferring from San Francisco City College last summer, Purify became Nebraska's starter at the “X” receiver position around mid-season. He was part of a Husker wide receiver corps that returns intact for 2007.

Nebraska has two experienced “X” receivers behind Purify on the depth chart in juniors Nate Swift (67 career catches for 1,015 yards) and Todd Peterson (28-457).