Prep football: Manatee's Calloway gets offer from USF

(photo by Tiffany-Tompkins Condie)

Derrick Calloway has reason to smile - Manatee's rising junior defensive tackle has received his first scholarship offer, courtesy of USF, which liked what they saw of Calloway during a camp earlier this summer.

Calloway got more playing time than expected last year when seniors Drakkar Wilson and Quinton Pompey went down with knee injuries during the first game of the Class 5A-Region 3 playoffs.

After appearing in just two games during the regular season, Calloway started Manatee's next three playoff games, including the state semifinal against Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas.

He totaled 15 tackles and two sacks in four playoff games, and had 20 tackles overall.

It's been a busy summer for Calloway, who along with teammates Cord Sandberg, Anthony Lauro, Leon Allen and Blake Keller took a tour of college camps that included Auburn, Alabama, Florida State and Tennessee.

Prep football: Blakely taking official visit to USF this weekend

(pagemoorephoto.com)
Mike Blakely is taking an official visit this weekend to USF, said Manatee coach Joe Kinnan.
Blakely, a former star running back at Manatee, took an informal visit Monday to USF.
Blakely committed to Florida in November and enrolled in January, but decided to leave Gainesville earlier this month.
USF was one of Blakely's many suitors while Blakely was in high school, but backed off when he said he wanted to play in the Southeastern Conference. Recruits are allowed five official visits, but Blakely took only one, to Auburn, while he was in high school.