HB Quentin Castille

[Spartness]

Just what I thought. He said he he still liked Nebraska and wanted to hear what the NU coaches had to say. Even though he said Louisville had more to offer right now, what he was really saying, reading between the lines, was I still want to come here if you would reassure me what we had talked about before that made me want to commit. Sounds like a case of miscommunication between the coaches and a kid who deep down still wanted to come here. I'm glad it got straighten out.

[Eric the Red]

Still even, to me anyway, once a wonderer, always a wonderer, this kid is not 100% in until he signs, NU staff will need to worry about him bailing until signing day. Just the facts of recruiting

[Eric the Red]

Running back Castille committed to Nebraska

 

BY MITCH SHERMAN

 

 

 

 

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

 

 

LINCOLN - Nebraska has firmed up oral commitments from two football recruits, bringing its pledge total to 20 with still more than eight weeks left until signing day.

 

Running back Quentin Castille of La Porte, Texas, who accepted an NU offer in September, said he has dropped Louisville from consideration. Castille, a top prospect who rushed for more than 1,800 yards as a senior, became interested in the Cardinals after a recent visit to the Big East Conference school.

 

In addition, safety LaTravis Washington of Bradenton, Fla., has achieved the necessary college-entrance exam score to sign with Nebraska on Feb. 7, according to rivals.com. Washington had long favored the Huskers, despite scholarship offers from Ohio State and Auburn.

 

The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Castille scored 22 touchdowns in Texas' highly competitive 5A classification as a senior. His loyalty to the Huskers waned after NU took commitments from running backs Roy Helu of Danville, Calif., and Marcus Mendoza of Houston.

 

But a visit from Nebraska coach Bill Callahan and running backs coach Randy Jordan late last week secured Castille.

 

"Talking to Coach Callahan, he told me I'm like the best high school player he's ever seen," Castille said. "Coach Jordan told me I'm the best high school running back he's ever seen."

 

Castille said the NU coaches assured him they have no intention to play him at fullback, and that Helu and Mendoza are not considered every-down college backs.

 

"I'm going to Nebraska," he said. "That's my final decision. That's everything."

 

He delivered a similar message to the Louisville coaches.

 

Their reaction?

 

"Not so good," Castille said.

 

Washington, a 6-3, 210-pound prep quarterback at Bradenton's Bayshore High and the cousin of ex-NU cornerback Fabian Washington, had considered himself a Nebraska recruit for several weeks.

 

The Huskers, though, were not taking his commitment until Washington moved closer to qualifying academically. His latest test results reportedly did just that.

 

"I'm going to sign with Nebraska on national signing day," he told rivals.com.

 

Washington is the third player from Florida, and Castille is one of seven from Texas in the Huskers' 2007 recruiting class.

 

NU hosted seven official visitors Friday through Sunday in Lincoln, though none were known to have immediately committed. Approximately five spots remain open in this class, with several more visitors scheduled for next weekend.

[DJR313]

"Talking to Coach Callahan, he told me I'm like the best high school player he's ever seen," Castille said. "Coach Jordan told me I'm the best high school running back he's ever seen."

 

The kid wanted his ego stroked.

[husker rob]

is NU getting a player that is going to transfer after a year if he doesnt play right away?

[Spartness]

This apparently is Callahan's top target, so I expect they are done recruiting RBs, including those two top ones we have talked about before. Callahan and Jordan must really thing this kid is special talent-wise. As for his ego, don't most of these kids have big ones?

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

This apparently is Callahan's top target, so I expect they are done recruiting RBs, including those two top ones we have talked about before. Callahan and Jordan must really thing this kid is special talent-wise. As for his ego, don't most of these kids have big ones?

yep

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Great news welcome to the Huskers Castille!!!!

[Blackshirtsguru]

This apparently is Callahan's top target, so I expect they are done recruiting RBs, including those two top ones we have talked about before. Callahan and Jordan must really thing this kid is special talent-wise. As for his ego, don't most of these kids have big ones?

yep

And when it comes to recruiting....It comes down to which coach can stroke a kids ego the most!!!!!!!

[BIGREDIOWAN]

[HSKRNOKC]

What was it that Calli said about prima donnas?? Oh ya they can go to K- sucks.

[husker rob]

well at least he didnt send a text message to the coaches, and gave them an opportunity to sit down with him and resell him on the reason that he chose NU in the first place

[Eric the Red]

Castille's heart set on Nebraska

On signing day, La Porte star RB to make it official

 

By SAM KHAN JR.

Chronicle News Services

 

 

LaPorte runningback Quentin Castille is heading to Nebraska.

 

Quentin Castille was just a kid when he watched Nebraska beat Florida in the Fiesta Bowl to claim the 1995 national championship.

 

Already, there was something about the Cornhuskers he liked. For every long touchdown run and every clutch play by the players in red, Castille's interest grew.

 

"Lawrence Phillips was one of my favorite running backs," the La Porte running back said. "Him and Tommie Frazier ran that option attack and I remember thinking 'I like that. That's what I want to do.' "

 

When national signing day arrives Feb. 7, the 6-2, 235-pound senior will be able to take the first step in fulfilling that dream as the Nebraska commitment will sign a letter of intent to become a Cornhusker.

 

Castille, a four-star recruit who is ranked second in the country among fullbacks, according to Rivals.com, was a sophomore when he started getting mail from schools. His first offer came from Northwestern in April. He received offers from other Division I colleges along the way, including Louisville, Georgia Tech and Iowa State, but Castille's heart was in one place.

 

"Nebraska was my favorite childhood team," he said. "For them to recruit me, that sold me right there."

 

Dual appeal

Castille appealed to many schools for several reasons. His size and his production (he ran for over 4,000 yards in three varsity seasons at La Porte and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark each year) were two of the biggest. This was his best season, as he ran for a career-high 1,730 yards and 21 touchdowns.

 

"In high school he was untackleable because he had great size and good speed," Rivals.com recruiting analyst Matt Malatesta said. "He doesn't have breakaway speed, but he's a physical running back that has tremendous blocking ability."

 

When Castille first joined the varsity Bulldogs as a sophomore, he did so with a childhood teammate — quarterback Boogie Anagnostou, who will attend TCU on a baseball scholarship.

 

"He's been my quarterback since Little League," Castille said.

 

Both were young, talented and inexperienced, but expected to help lead the Bulldogs.

 

After a 5-5 regular season, the Bulldogs lost in the first round of the 2004 playoffs to Clear Lake, but the foundation was set. Castille and Anagnostou led the Bulldogs to a 10-3 record in 2005 and fell just short of reaching the Class 5A Division II Region III finals, losing to Cypress Falls 38-35.

 

It was in that game that the two had one of their most memorable plays, even if it didn't result in a victory. Trailing by three with six seconds left at their 26-yard line, the Bulldogs needed a miracle and nearly got it, thanks to the dynamic duo.

 

"I told Boogie, 'I want the ball and I'm going to score,' " Castille said. "I threw a block on the defensive end and he ran upfield. He told me he'd chuck it back to me."

 

Magic moment

After running to the 44-yard line, Anagnostou made a Music City Miracle-like toss across the field to Castille, who picked up a block and saw green in front of him. The Cy Falls' defense met him 6 yards short of the end zone as time expired, but the play put a cap on a 10-3 season that put La Porte football back on the map. This season, despite graduating most of their offense, Anagnostou and Castille led the Bulldogs back to the playoffs, laying the groundwork for a consistent winner.

 

"People found out that La Porte is for real," Castille said. "A lot of people didn't think we were going to be good because we had so much inexperience. But we got back to the playoffs and proved that we're a good team."

 

Dream time

Now Castille hopes Cornhuskers fans find out that he's for real in Nebraska. He won't be running the option that he watched Frazier and Phillips run in 1995 (the Cornhuskers run the West Coast offense), but he'll be living a dream.

 

"The West Coast offense is hard to learn," Castille said. "But (running backs coach Randy) Jordan knows me very well and he says he's going to help me reach the next level."

[KansasHusker]

I can't wait for this bruiser to be running the ball for us.

[husker rob]

a bruiser with deceptive speed, could be a real good one in a year or 2. or he could be the next AD