Helu Turning Heads in Fall Camp

[Husker_Power]

by Samuel McKewon

August 21, 2007

 

LINK

 

Culture shock.

 

For more than a month this summer, that's what Nebraska freshman running back Roy Helu felt, both on campus and around Lincoln.

 

He came from the “East Bay” of California. Oakland. Spent time with his grandma in San Mateo, or “West Bay.” That's the San Francisco area. All those weekends in, as Helu calls it, “the city.” That's probably why No. 10 grew up a 49ers fan. He also grew up around gangs, crime, and the axiom that a man should never to look too long at anyone doing anything.

 

So of course, here's a city kid in corn country. The kindness and hospitality, as it can be in this state, is a little overwhelming. Is it because he's a football player? And what was with those Texas backs, Quentin Castille and Marcus Mendoza? And those accents? Why are they so friendly?

 

“It was a lot tougher than I thought when I first got here,” Helu said. “I wasn't used to Texas kids or Nebraska people. I thought maybe they were being fake. But it was really genuine. I just learned to ease up and let people in.

 

“Now, the feel of this state makes me want to live here.”

 

Good thing Helu plans to settle in. The 6-foot, 220-pounder – yes, he looks it in person even if he doesn't on the field - made the most of injuries to juniors Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn. Helu's been the physical actualization of Head Coach Bill Callahan's favorite metaphor, “pound the rock.”

 

The Danville, Calif., native came into fall camp with few expectations. He plowed through the first couple weeks with his ears open and his head down.

 

“I'm the type of guy that's relaxed and don't think too much,” he said. “I was just trying to impress and when (Glenn and Lucky got hurt) I had an opportunity to show my abilities.”

 

Like when, on a stretch play, he busted a 50-yard touchdown run against the No. 1 defense in a scrimmage, prompting a rave from senior linebacker Corey McKeon.

 

Or when he quickly became effective at finding and zipping through holes in NU's zone blocking scheme, drawing praise from Glenn.

 

“I didn't know much about Roy before he got here,” Glenn said, “but he surprised me a lot. He's gonna be great.

 

“You can probably see those tree trunk legs he's got, but if you see his cuts, he's got those Reggie Bush cuts as to the way he can fake people out and get back up the field.”

 

Helu didn't mention Bush on Tuesday. He didn't even talk about any other football player.

 

No. Helu's favorite runner is Jonah Lomu, a legend for the New Zealand All Blacks, generally considered one of the greatest rugby teams in the world although, in recent years, they've suffered upsets in the World Cup matches. Helu played rugby during his senior year at San Ramon Valley for a club team. He said rugby's popular in the Bay Area; indeed, California-Berkeley has won 16 of the last 17 college national championships.

 

“Rugby's all about angles,” Helu said. “If you're gonna break something, it's because you're gonna set up someone, because you don't have blocks. I definitely learned open-field running. My culture, that's our sport. When I went to the (Tonga) Islands, where I'm from, that's all they played, and I picked it up from there.

 

“Is rugby tougher than football? It's different. You have to play offense and defense. Even though you guys probably don't believe it, it's probably more physical.”

 

Helu had a terrific junior season at San Ramon Valley, which happens to be Sam Keller's old high school. gaining 1,526 yards and averaging 8.2 yards a carry. He admitted Tuesday he hoped Southern California - a team so full of running backs that one of its best, sophomore Emmanuel Moody, just transferred – would give him a look.

 

“When I didn't get the scholarship offer,” Helu said. “I knew this was a place for me.”

 

Over Cal, the Bay Area school where Helu would have had a nice chance to play this season after Marshawn Lynch left early for the NFL. His friends wanted him to stick around. His family, too.

 

But the visit to Nebraska last year was just too good.

 

“I'd say the facilities, but it wasn't that,” Helu said. “It was the people I met, how nice they were.”

 

It may not have seemed like it a month ago, but Helu has put himself in a position to compete for playing time at NU. He said coaches intend to see what he's got on both punt and kickoff return teams.

 

And he might play in the rotation, too. Glenn returned to practice Tuesday, declaring his injured hamstring “95 percent.” But he'll have rust. Lucky remains out of practice. As this point, freshman cornerback Prince Amukamara has been taking repetitions at running back, though Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson said he's not yet learning the offense.

 

Helu plans to go with the flow. When a reporter asked him whether he found himself slotted between the “big” back Castille and the fast back, Mendoza, he just laughed and shrugged.

 

“I'm just a back,” he said.

[Foppa]

“I'd say the facilities, but it wasn't that,” Helu said. “It was the people I met, how nice they were.”

 

Let's not forget this!

 

Welcome, Helu...hope your NU career is awesome, and your stay in Nebraska is inspiring.

[husker rob]

i think that Helu might be a huge suprize this year

[Redman]

It is nice to have a good stock of young backs, both here and coming in. Good luck Roy!

[bethelbacker]

I'm glad to finally be hearing about Helu. Don't get me wrong, it's been nice to hear about Castille and Mendoza, but I was beginning to wonder if Roy had even reported for camp, I was wondering how he was performing. It's encouraging to know that we have another speedster to go with Castille's power. I'm excited about our stable of young backs, as it appears they all have a good shot of getting snaps this year with the injuries to our starters.

[captain obvious]

SUPPORTIVE POST!!!

 

OPTIMISM!!!!!

 

RED!!!!!

 

EMOTICONS!!!!

 

:asshat :asshat :asshat

 

 

 

 

Why can't the season just start already???

[Foppa]

Here's to youth...and the cup they're probably gonna have to drink from.

[I am I]

i didn't know he was from Tonga. man, i tell you what!! we had two dudes from tonga on our team, those people from that little island are some FREAKS physically. never really very tall, but could rip trees out of the ground and would run across fire, nails, and thumb tacks, while carrying three cement bags over their shoulders . tough and fast, baby!!

[motorboatjonesNU]

Apparently the kid is a stud... ripping a 50 yarder past the No. 1 D? Or is that problem...?

 

Maybe he's an Ahman Green-type? Maybe our RB situation isn't as bad.

 

These frosh'll have to come along fast...

[Foppa]

i didn't know he was from Tonga. man, i tell you what!! we had two dudes from tonga on our team, those people from that little island are some FREAKS physically. never really very tall, but could rip trees out of the ground and would run across fire, nails, and thumb tacks, while carrying three cement bags over their shoulders . tough and fast, baby!!

 

Sweet! Let's get it on! And what Motorboat said as well.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

That's awesome to hear!!!!! I hope he gets to show us something in the Nevada game along with Mendoza, Castille and a few others!!!!

[skersOVRsc]

Sink or swim! Throw em to the wolves and see how many come back! Man among boys!.......out of metaphors.

[huskernumerouno]

I will say it again "OUR FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT"

[huskernation20]

Sink or swim! Throw em to the wolves and see how many come back! Man among boys!.......out of metaphors.

 

Is that NOT from the movie "300"??????