Florida wide receiver Antonio Callaway being cited for possession of marijuana this past weekend has raised a huge red flag over the football program. A dire warning flag, in this case. And it has little to do with the measly seven grams of weed police found in Callaway’s front pants pocket.
What it has everything to do with is this troubling question: what in the world were Callaway and junior tight end C’yontai Lewis doing hanging out with 40-year-old Kendrick Lamount Williams, the man cited along with Callaway?
A quick check of Alachua County Courthouse records reveals that Williams has a long rap sheet on file, dating back 21 years, with steady additions over the course of those years. The most serious charges are for possession of cocaine, drug trafficking, battery, vehicle theft and molesting a child of 12 to 16 years old.
Just two years ago, Williams was arrested in Valdosta, Ga., on suspicion of transporting marijuana from Florida to Georgia. Police discovered 128 grams of marijuana in his car. They also found a gun on him.
Drugs, guns, battery, molestation of a child.
And this is a guy who obviously has buddied up to members of the Florida football team. This is bad. Really bad. With more dire consequences to follow if the Gators continue to hang out with a person like this. Don’t you have to wonder: Is this man providing marijuana (and possibly other drugs) to some of the football players? It’s a scary thought if you’re Jim McElwain.
McElwain said Thursday that Callaway’s latest problem will give him another opportunity to educate his players on what is right and wrong. This lesson should be pretty simple: Show them a picture of Kendrick Lamount Williams and tell them to stay as far away from him as possible. Because if they don’t — if they continue to hang out him, and people like him — more and bigger trouble is certain to follow for the Florida football team.
The red flag has been raised, the warning sent.
