'Beast' wants to feast in senior year

[Husker_Power]

NU Football: 'Beast' wants to feast in senior year

BY RICH KAIPUST

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

 

LINK

 

LINCOLN — Whether right or wrong, fair or unfair, Brandon Johnson has come to terms with the status of his Nebraska football career.

 

He has one shot to make something happen.

 

"It drives me every day," he said. "I'm just ready to play."

 

Since coming out of Marshall High in Chicago, the backup nose tackle has wanted nothing more than to prove he's a Division I-A football player. It bothers him that he enters his senior season without much to show for it yet.

 

But there might be a chance ahead for Johnson, who with Shukree Barfield backs up No. 1 nose tackle Ndamukong Suh.

 

"We need Brandon to be a ballplayer," NU assistant coach Buddy Wyatt said. "We need him to come in and be able to take some snaps for us and be productive."

 

The same could have been said a year ago.

 

Johnson was coming off a solid season at Compton (Calif.) Community College when he arrived in Lincoln on June 9. Three weeks later, Johnson was called back to Compton to re-take a course — one he believed he had successfully completed — and wasn't back at NU until preseason practice was over.

 

"At first I was very mad about it," he said. "You wait so long to play Division I football, and then when it comes something gets in your way like that. There was nothing I could do but handle it the best way that I can, which is what I've been doing since I've been here."

 

The 6-foot-3, 315-pounder was too far behind to do anything but play a bit part in 2006, most notably appearing on field goal and extra-point units in six games. In retrospect, he wished he'd asked to redshirt, especially after hurting an ankle as the season started.

 

Understand why he didn't want to wait, though. An attempt to go to Grambling didn't work out, so he spent his freshman year at Graceland, an NAIA school in Lamoni, Iowa. Johnson played well and played immediately, but realized something was missing.

 

While visiting his girlfriend in California, he met with Compton CC coach Angelo Jackson and determined that a season at the junior college might best direct him back to his dreams.

 

"I just didn't want to give up," Johnson said. "I wanted to say I at least tried to play Division I football or get into a big-time university."

 

In the harder times, Johnson found help from former Omaha Central coach William Reed, who now lives in Falls City, Neb. Reed is a friend of the family and a distant relative, but Johnson calls him an uncle because "I can't find another word to call him."

 

Reed said he hopes the visits and almost daily phone calls have helped. That he's said the right things when Johnson has needed to hear them.

 

"I've had a lot of kids who have played college football," Reed said. "It's not like I'm some smart person, but through general osmosis I've kind of learned the ropes.

 

"He has just a little time left to be there, and kind of under pressure to prove a point with just one year to do it. But he's fired up and enthused about doing some things."

 

Johnson was known as "The Beast" as a high school football and basketball player. The nickname stuck his freshman basketball season. He was just 6-1 and with short arms, but he was pulling down rebounds left and right when somebody remarked: "That kid's a beast on the boards."

 

They underestimated him then. It's probably the same now.

 

His only response is that he's up to speed this time, both mentally and physically. He capped a decent spring with three tackles and a fumble recovery in the Red-White game.

 

Above all else, he's hungry.

 

"This is what I wanted," he said. "Every day I wake up I thank the Lord that he gave me the strength to get here and he blessed me with the talent to play here."

 

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Meet the Huskers

 

TERRENCE MOORE

Class: Freshman

Position: Defensive tackle

Measurements: 6-3, 270

Hometown (school): New Orleans (McDonogh 35)

 

Notable: Moore attended the same high school as former Husker star and NFL All-Pro defensive lineman Neil Smith.

 

Are your coaches trying to get you to get bigger? "Yeah, they're trying to get me to gain 20 to 30 pounds."

 

You hear nightmare stories of people trying to lose weight. Is it fun to try and put weight on? "No. It's fun to not have to worry about your weight, but having to put it on is just as much of a headache as having to lose it."

 

Are you a Cajun food fan? "I love New Orleans food. . . . There was a seafood place in every neighborhood. They don't have any up here, so I miss that a lot."

 

What's been the biggest adjustment to college? "Just being a freshman again is tough. Coming from being like an all-star at your high school to being almost nothing again is a little tough."

 

What's the best part about being a Husker? "They take care of you. All I have to concentrate on is my football and my school work. Everything you need is at your fingertips. I mean, if you don't at least make a 3.0 (GPA) here, you're just - dumb. They make sure you have everything you need."

- Steve Takaba

 

QUENTIN CASTILLE

Class: Freshman

Position: I-back

Measurements: 6-1, 245

Hometown: La Porte, Texas

 

Notable: Castille ran for more than 300 yards and six touchdowns in a late-season game as a senior.

 

What do you bring to the table? "I bring a lot of power, just because I weigh about 245. I bring a lot of speed, too."

 

Would you say it's been a steep learning curve so far? "It's real hard. I came from a spread offense, so all these different formations and everything threw me off when I first got here. But Coach (Randy) Jordan is bringing me along and I'm learning it pretty fast."

 

What weight do you feel best at? "Wherever the coaches like me at. I feel comfortable around 245. If they want me to lose weight, I'll lose weight. But Coach said as long as I can see my six-pack, I'm good."

 

The older guys been trying to intimidate you? "I won't be intimidated by nobody. They talk. Everybody talks. Even I talk, but ... nah."

 

Any significance to wearing No. 19? "I've been wearing this since I started out. I asked about it when I first got here."

-Rich Kaipust

[huskernumerouno]

good read

[skersOVRsc]

Cant wait to see him in the mix.

[Necava Husker]

Cant wait to see him in the mix.

Me too. I think Beast has the talent. It's time for him to dominate.

[Foppa]

Nice. Time to get it on! Hopefully this is the year that depth starts to make a difference in the W/L column.

[skersOVRsc]

Nice. Time to get it on! Hopefully this is the year that depth starts to make a difference in the W/L column.

I think it will........games are often won with your bench.