Antonio Callaway Cleared of Sexual Assault Charges

By Justin Melton | Aug 12, 2016

Antonio Callaway was cleared of all charges today. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Some good news for the Florida Gators today: their best wide receiver, Antonio Callaway, has been cleared of sexual assault charges in a Tile IX investigation that has been going on since December. Last season Callaway led the team with 678 yards receiving on 35 catches. He also returned punts, averaging an incredible 15 yards per return and scoring two touchdowns. Callaway’s case was greatly strengthened when his accuser elected to boycott the hearing due to concerns about a University of Florida booster overseeing the case. Her attorney John Clune wrote the following in a letter to the university:

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"“This has been a difficult decision but as I previously indicated to you, the fact that UF has hired a football booster to adjudicate a sexual assault allegation against one of the team’s own football players is a fundamentally skewed process in which [the complainant] refuses to participate.”"

While her stance on the matter certainly makes sense, it also made it almost certain that Callaway would be found not guilty. However, judging by her lawyer’s statement it seems as though she believed the fix was already in. Whether or not that is actually the case is impossible to say.

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So what does this mean for the coming season? It means that Luke Del Rio’s life will be a lot easier. He has his most dangerous weapon back, and I expect he will go to Callaway early and often over the course of the season. The Gators are likely still going to be battling for second place in the East, along with Georgia. Tennessee has no excuse not to win the division this season, even with Callaway’s return.