The Power of Castille

[Foppa]

Freshman I-back Castille bowls over teammates

BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star

Tuesday, Aug 14, 2007 - 12:07:59 am CDT

 

 

 

Teammates have practically begged him to get out his “Truck Stick.”

 

Ah, the daunting “Truck Stick.” In the “Madden NFL 2006” video game, the “Truck Stick” feature allows an offensive player to lower his shoulder and break a tackle �” a burst of brute strength that ranks among Nebraska I-back Quentin Castille’s foremost attributes in real life.

 

The 6-foot-1, 245-pound true freshman brought out his “Truck Stick” during scrimmage action Monday, plowing through a backup safety after breaking into the open field on a stretch play.

 

“It happened about 20 yards after he got past the line of scrimmage,” Nebraska wide receiver Nate Swift said with admiration.

 

Veteran Husker players are raving about the big back from La Porte, Texas, which is near Houston. With NU junior I-backs Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn nursing injuries, Castille has gotten his share of carries in recent practices. And he’s done enough with those chances that coaches are basically guaranteeing playing time for him this season, most likely in short-yardage and goal-line situations.

 

But it might be a mistake to place limits on Castille, who arrived in Lincoln in June weighing 265 pounds.

 

“He fits the profile you look for in a big back; he can run people over,” Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said. “That’s what he does best. ... When you’re down in the short-yardage and goal-line situations, it’s good to pound the big backs.”

 

Castille also has good speed �” in the 4.5-second range for the 40-yard dash, he said.

 

Said Callahan: “Whatever he needs to do, he can do it. He’s got skills. It’s going to be exciting to watch him develop over the next four and five years. I think he’s a big-time back. He has a lot of talent and a lot of want-to.”

 

Added Swift: “He’s like Cody Glenn. He has the quickness, but he also likes to put his head down and hit a guy every once in awhile. ... He’s going to be one of those tough-nosed backs.”

 

Rickey Thenarse probably would attest to Castille’s toughness. The 6-1, 190-pound Thenarse was the victim of Castille’s “Truck Stick” Monday at Memorial Stadium. It’s unfortunate that Nebraska running backs coach Randy Jordan missed the collision. He was working with his other two freshman I-backs, Roy Helu and Marcus Mendoza, when Castille bolted into the secondary.

 

Of the Huskers’ three true freshman backs, Castille has generated by far the most buzz through nine preseason practices.

 

“I just heard the ‘oohs’ of (Castille’s) teammates,” Jordan said of the “Truck Stick” run. “The only thing I saw was the aftermath.”

 

Playing last season in La Porte High School’s spread offense, Castille rushed for 1,800 yards and 22 touchdowns, averaging nearly eight yards per carry while running mostly up the middle. He also caught 12 passes, including two for touchdowns. All told, he rushed for more than 4,000 yards in high school and was ranked by Rivals.com� No. 2 among the nation’s prep fullbacks. He chose NU over Louisville.

 

Castille said he sees his running style resembling that of former Nebraska I-back Lawrence Phillips. If need be, Castille said, he’ll try to juke a defender. But he has stories of running over them, such as the time he stepped on a player’s facemask en route to the end zone.

 

“That was pretty nasty,” Castille said.

 

As one might expect from a freshman, Castille has some learning to do.

 

“Sometimes you want to kiss him and hug him, and sometimes you just look at him like, ‘Man, what in the wide world of sports are you doing?’ But he has a lot of athletic ability,” Jordan said. “He’s going to help our team this year. He’s a tremendous kid �” everything we thought he’d be. We’re going to find a role for him.”

 

Jordan thinks ahead toward cold-weather months �” nobody’s going to want to tackle Castille, the coach said.

 

“The thing he gives us is a tremendous presence up the middle,” Jordan said. “If he continues to develop, he can add a little bit more (to his repertoire). But he is a freshman. So you have to take it piece by piece.”

 

Castille isn’t exactly enthralled with his practice performances to this point. In fact, he said he thought he would “do a whole better” than he has so far. After all, he came from Texas, where football is king. He didn’t anticipate college players being markedly better than the ones he encountered in high school, he said.

 

However, he hasn’t had much trouble with the physical contact part of the college game.

 

Asked if his teammates hit hard, Castille said, “Some of them do. But me being a big back, it doesn’t really faze me too much. I won’t be intimidated by nobody.”

 

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.

 

�

[TrueHuskerFan]

Good article, I don't know about you guys, but I love this kid, I can't wait to watch him for the next four years.

[huskernumerouno]

I love to here stuff like this. PLEASE STAY HEALTHY

[HuskerJosh82]

Castille is a monster and I hope to see him on Sept. 1st. This is also a blessing since our other two starters are down for a little bit.

[Foppa]

Yeah, good to see the young guys get reps...he will more than likely see the field this year.

[I am I]

i do not want them to pigeon hole him into the 'short yardage' back. i think we wasted an entire year of watching cody glenn waltz in from 2 yards out cuz he was a 'short yardage' back, but not get good carries from other parts of the field.

 

if this kid has this much potential, and he's going to burn a redshirt, then give him some quality meaningful carries throughtout the whole game. this is one aspect of Cally's WCO that frustrates me at times. if it is SO f'ing complicated that we can't have our best players on the field to do what they do so naturally easy, then maybe we should put them in and just slam the ball home sometimes. simply KISS...Keep It Simple, Stupid!!

 

but man, if he remembers LP and compares his own running style to him, then i'm all for getting him some good looks this year.

[Husker_x]

Well between Lucky, Glenn, and Castille now, we've got a 1-2-3 punch of doom for defensive fronts. With an adequate and deep O-line to open up some holes, a speedster and two bruisers to smash through them, we might have a more than decent rushing attack this year. I do hope they utilize this kid and give him the opportunity to really develop. Heaven knows we need a big back who can slam for eight-ten yards at a time. This is a promising bit of news indeed. I wonder who else is turning heads in camp. Anyone hear anything about Asante?

 

And USC must be razed to the ground

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Man this is great to hear!!!!! I can't wait to see this guy on the field. There is no doubt he will probably get a good amount of carries in some of the games like Nevada, Iowa State, etc.

[skersOVRsc]

This kid needs to play as much as possible to take some of the load off of more injury prone backs.........no names needed.

[Hunter94]

i do not want them to pigeon hole him into the 'short yardage' back. i think we wasted an entire year of watching cody glenn waltz in from 2 yards out cuz he was a 'short yardage' back, but not get good carries from other parts of the field.

 

if this kid has this much potential, and he's going to burn a redshirt, then give him some quality meaningful carries throughtout the whole game. this is one aspect of Cally's WCO that frustrates me at times. if it is SO f'ing complicated that we can't have our best players on the field to do what they do so naturally easy, then maybe we should put them in and just slam the ball home sometimes. simply KISS...Keep It Simple, Stupid!!

 

but man, if he remembers LP and compares his own running style to him, then i'm all for getting him some good looks this year.

 

 

boy, i agree with this post wholeheartedly. cally seemed to want to only put the ball in the hands of a potential game breaker, virtually all the time last year and he did waste Glenn doing just that. but it looks like Lucky, his only legitimate speed guy (??) may not be able to take hits all year again, so why the hell not give it to Castille on 1st and 10?

 

a guy like that can wear a defense down with a lot of ball pounding up the middle and it makes ball possession a given. i really think it is time for cally to "fire the guns that shoot" and make the best use of his guys, whether it fits the WCO most of the time or not. the potential to hit a home run every time someone touches the ball is fine, if you have enough of those type of athletes, but if not pound the middle, make 'em come up to stop the 4-5 yard runs and then let Keller burn the opponent with some deep ones!

[skersOVRsc]

i do not want them to pigeon hole him into the 'short yardage' back. i think we wasted an entire year of watching cody glenn waltz in from 2 yards out cuz he was a 'short yardage' back, but not get good carries from other parts of the field.

 

if this kid has this much potential, and he's going to burn a redshirt, then give him some quality meaningful carries throughtout the whole game. this is one aspect of Cally's WCO that frustrates me at times. if it is SO f'ing complicated that we can't have our best players on the field to do what they do so naturally easy, then maybe we should put them in and just slam the ball home sometimes. simply KISS...Keep It Simple, Stupid!!

 

but man, if he remembers LP and compares his own running style to him, then i'm all for getting him some good looks this year.

 

 

boy, i agree with this post wholeheartedly. cally seemed to want to only put the ball in the hands of a potential game breaker, virtually all the time last year and he did waste Glenn doing just that. but it looks like Lucky, his only legitimate speed guy (??) may not be able to take hits all year again, so why the hell not give it to Castille on 1st and 10?

 

a guy like that can wear a defense down with a lot of ball pounding up the middle and it makes ball possession a given. i really think it is time for cally to "fire the guns that shoot" and make the best use of his guys, whether it fits the WCO most of the time or not. the potential to hit a home run every time someone touches the ball is fine, if you have enough of those type of athletes, but if not pound the middle, make 'em come up to stop the 4-5 yard runs and then let Keller burn the opponent with some deep ones!

[Necava Husker]

245 pounds and a 4.5-second 40. No wonder Castille has a Truck Stick!! Can't wait to see him take it to some unsuspecting DB.

[huskerfan500]

When Callahan is talking about him it is like when he was talking about a freshman of the time Glenn

[Foppa]

i do not want them to pigeon hole him into the 'short yardage' back. i think we wasted an entire year of watching cody glenn waltz in from 2 yards out cuz he was a 'short yardage' back, but not get good carries from other parts of the field.

 

if this kid has this much potential, and he's going to burn a redshirt, then give him some quality meaningful carries throughtout the whole game. this is one aspect of Cally's WCO that frustrates me at times. if it is SO f'ing complicated that we can't have our best players on the field to do what they do so naturally easy, then maybe we should put them in and just slam the ball home sometimes. simply KISS...Keep It Simple, Stupid!!

 

but man, if he remembers LP and compares his own running style to him, then i'm all for getting him some good looks this year.

 

 

boy, i agree with this post wholeheartedly. cally seemed to want to only put the ball in the hands of a potential game breaker, virtually all the time last year and he did waste Glenn doing just that. but it looks like Lucky, his only legitimate speed guy (??) may not be able to take hits all year again, so why the hell not give it to Castille on 1st and 10?

 

a guy like that can wear a defense down with a lot of ball pounding up the middle and it makes ball possession a given. i really think it is time for cally to "fire the guns that shoot" and make the best use of his guys, whether it fits the WCO most of the time or not. the potential to hit a home run every time someone touches the ball is fine, if you have enough of those type of athletes, but if not pound the middle, make 'em come up to stop the 4-5 yard runs and then let Keller burn the opponent with some deep ones!

 

Great post. Rather than wait for the 3rd and 2 situations, why not take a shot with this guy on 1st down? 2nd and 4 or 5 could really open up options for Keller, including the long ball. Could be a really fun situation to be in!

[BGREDSTUCKN IA]

Hopefully better feet than Dan Alexander!! Cant wait to watch him.