Freshman RB Castille Turning Heads, Trucking Defenders in Huskers' Fall Camp

While Glenn and Lucky nurse injuries, Nebraska's next big thing getting an extended look

Even if Nebraska freshman Quentin Castille doesn't become one of the best “big” running backs in Husker history, it'll be a first interview to remember.

 

And if he does fulfill the expectations put on his 245-pound frame, his 30-minute session with reporters Monday night is just the start.

 

Proudly wearing No. 19 - “the only number I've had since I was down to earth” - Castille, whose chiseled physique and blunt running style has NU teammates and fan message boards buzzing, was clever, candid, cool and just a little bit cocky:

 

“I don't get intimidated by nobody except for God,” he said to one writer.

 

“I love linebackers,” he said to another. As in running over them.

 

As for his trademark?

 

“A lot of people talk to me about bringing out the 'truck stick'...I brought out the 'truck stick' today.”

 

The recipient of said stick was sophomore safety Rickey Thenarse, who had to leave the Huskers' 20-play scrimmage for a short while Monday after he was run over by Castille.

 

“It wasn't real bad,” Castille said, “but he was down.”

 

The native of LaPorte, Texas, just turned 18 in late April and looks like a shorter, stronger version of former Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson. He also talks like a natural. 

Aside from precocious sound bytes, interviews don't mean much, but know this: Coach Bill Callahan had a relatively quick session with reporters as cameras and digital recorders instead hovered inches from the freshman's face.

 

Although Castille thought he'd do “a whole lot better” in camp, minor injuries to juniors Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn have opened the door to Castille getting more repetitions behind sophomore Major Culbert, several touches in goal line and short-yardage situations and attention from teammates.

 

“He's got the quickness,” NU wide receiver Nate Swift, “but he also likes to put his head down a hit a guy.”

 

Running backs coach Randy Jordan initially pressed Castille to get more “north and south” on running plays. Now, Jordan said he's got a freshman who knows where his bread is buttered.

 

“He's very, very, very candid in his running style,” Jordan said. “He wants to run over people instead of around them. I've seen some of these (big) guys and they think they're 180 pounds. He knows his limitations, but he wants to use his ability. I love that about the kid.”

 

Ironically, Castille said he believed that his career in Texas high school football – which culminated with a 1,731-yard, 22-touchdown senior season in 2006 - had entirely prepared him for the Huskers. That his talent in LaPorte would stand out just the same in Lincoln.

 

“I thought the Texas way of playing football was at a real high standard,” he said.

When he arrived to Lincoln in June, weighing 265 pounds, his certainty crumbled with the first summer workout.

 

“Our running...man, we do more running than anybody,” he said. “We do a lot of running in practice, but in that summer, we had to step up.”

 

The West Coast Offense was equally daunting. At LaPorte, Castille was part of a spread offense that had a much smaller playbook than Callahan's.

 

“They've done a lot,” Callahan said of the freshmen running backs, which include Marcus Mendoza and Roy Helu. “They're involved in every phase, whether it be the one-back set or the two-back sets. They've been on the perimeter. They've been exposed to a myriad of different alignments, plays and techniques.”

 

Finally, Castille said he underestimated the speed of college defenses.

But he hasn't lost any collisions. Yet.

 

“(Linebacker) Steve Octavien hit me yesterday, but it wasn't anything spectacular,” Castille said.

 

Asked for comparisons to his style – who he'd like to emulate - Castille offers up Jerome Bettis and an intriguing name to Husker fans.

 

Former NU I-back Lawrence Phillips, whom Castille has seen on video. He must have; he was six years old during Phillips tumultuous final season at NU in 1995.

“He was a great power back, I know that,” Castille said. “He had some get-up speed, too. He wasn't a slow guy.”

 

And Castille?

 

“Oh, he can get outside,” Callahan said when asked if Castille knows how to hit the corner.

 

Castille said he's still running the 40-yard dash in 4.5 or 4.6 seconds - “nothing too spectacular” - while maintaining a body fat of 12 percent. He wasn't sure why he ballooned up to 265 over the summer, but he's not on any special diet or weight regimens to stay at his current size.

 

“As long as they can still see the six pack, I'm good” Castille said, pointing to his stomach.

 

Previously:

Nebraska’s Business Plan: To Keep Up With Trojans.

Keys To San Antonio – And Just Maybe New Orleans. 

After The Hottest Summer A Promising But Uncertain Season.

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