Florida’s Callaway pleads no contest
Florida receiver Antonio Callaway has pleaded no contest to misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Prosecutors dropped a marijuana possession charge as part of Monday’s plea deal, which State Attorney Bill Cervone said was standard for cases involving small amounts of drugs. Callaway also was fined $301.
Callaway, the team’s top playmaker, was cited on May 13 in Gainesville. He was a passenger in a SUV that officers pulled over for a seatbelt violation. Police said officers smelled marijuana in the SUV and found 7 grams of the drug in Callaway’s pocket.
Nebraska cornerback Jones has surgery
Nebraska cornerback Chris Jones will miss at least half of the season after knee surgery.
Coach Mike Riley said Saturday that Jones had surgery to repair his left meniscus. Recovery normally takes four to six months.
As a junior last season, The 6-foot, 195-pound Jones had three interceptions and 10 pass breakups. He also was recognized with honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors.
ACC closing gap on SEC
For years, the Atlantic Coast Conference has been regarded as the basketball power lagging in football behind Southeastern Conference, considered stronger, tougher and deeper on the gridiron.
It’s a perception that doesn’t line up with today’s reality.
After two national-title wins against SEC opponents and two Heisman Trophy winners in four seasons, the ACC has closed the gap if not erased it entirely. And that’s left the two leagues — which have combined for 10 of the last 11 national championships — looking awfully similar these days, from clear top tiers and divisional imbalances to their Southern-stronghold recruiting bases.
It wasn’t that long ago that there was no comparison. But things look much different amid the ACC’s recent run.
“Oh, I think we’re right there with them now,” ACC commissioner John Swofford said. “Top to bottom, they’ve probably been there longer than we have. But if you look at last year, as well as the previous four or five years, our football’s been coming very, very strongly.”