Maurice Purify text messaged every teammate in his personal phone book. He wished them luck, told them to play hard, to have a good game.

He then plopped into a La-Z-Boy, turned on his television and watched Nebraska thump Nevada, just like thousands of other Big Red fans.

“I liked watching it on TV, seeing what people had do say,” Purify said, “just being a fan for a day.”

That was last Saturday. This Saturday, Purify will don a T-shirt that pictures the face of his deceased brother, put on his shoulder pads and, at long last, play a football game.

“We’re just going to attack them downfield in the outside lanes,” Purify said, offering a short scouting report for Saturday’s game at Wake Forest.

“Just throw the ball downfield and have fun.”

Simple enough. Especially, for Purify, the fun part.

His tumultuous offseason included two well-publicized arrests, followed by a seven-week suspension, then his suspension from Saturday’s Nevada game. Before those issues were entirely settled, Purify missed five days at the end of fall camp after his brother was shot and killed in Purify’s hometown of Eureka, Calif.

The first two days, Purify said, were especially difficult. Then he “let it all out” and cried with his mother and other brothers. He also welcomed and depended upon the support of his coaches and teammates.

“Hopefully, I can use it to help me,” Purify said of his brother’s death. “Hopefully, he’s with me and will help me make those plays I wouldn’t be able to make.”

Just how many plays Purify might make at Wake Forest remains to be seen. Coach Bill Callahan said Tuesday that junior Nate Swift will start over Purify at the “X” receiver.

Purify said that’s fair.

“It’s my own fault why I’m on the sideline,” Purify said. “I understand why I’m not (on the field). All I can do is just make plays and work my way in.”

Purify last season led Nebraska with seven touchdown reception and 630 receiving yards. Saturday will be his first game with transfer quarterback Sam Keller, with whom Purify built a strong relationship, on and off the field, during the summer.

“I think I’m better than last year, cause I know the plays,” Purify said after Tuesday’s practice. “I got a lot faster, and you can’t tell from the way I’m breathing right now, but I’m in shape.”

Look for coaches to work Purify into Saturday’s game with certain packages.

Boston College, remember, threw for 408 yards last week against Wake Forest. Keller threw for a modest 193 yards against Nevada. He threw one interception and was victimized by four dropped balls.

Might it be possible for Purify to have a big impact with his return Saturday?

“Depends on what he does with it when he catches it,” Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. “If he catches it and turns it into something, which has been Mo’s forte, he can turn the little into something big.

“Every time I’ve been around Mo, I’ve learned to expect the unexpected.”

Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.