Casteel is shaping up as big-play receiver

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Aug 17, 2006 by Dirk Facer Deseret Morning News

Brent Casteel made a mockery out of Utah's annual conditioning test. The determined sophomore finished the traditional shuttle run in just 39 seconds, nine ticks faster than required.

Casteel, however, had yet to pass the test. All Utes, he was reminded, had to do it twice.

"The second one wasn't too good, but that's all right," Casteel said. "I'm still in shape for that. I'm not worried about it."

Nor is Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham.

"Brent locked up a little bit. He had been just killing that run all summer long. We test him in it from about midsummer on and he was just blowing it away," Whittingham said. "He got a little bit overzealous. No question Brent Casteel is in great shape, but he had a bad strategy for that run."

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Casteel smiles when asked about it. He was just eager for the season to begin.

"I just wanted to come out and prove something. I didn't want to come out and die like that, though," Casteel said. "It's all good. I'm not worried about it. It's behind me now. I have to pace myself. I did that last year, too."

Casteel, however, isn't the type of guy who shifts gears.

"I'm full speed in every route and in very drill. I'm good to go," said Casteel, who insists he's in the best shape of his career.

"I didn't go home. I stayed the whole summer and worked out," he said. "I'm not tired when I'm out here."

Entering the second scrimmage of camp, Casteel is firmly entrenched as a starter. He led all receivers with 99 yards in the first scrimmage. One of his three catches included a 53-yard scoring strike from Tommy Grady.

"He's ready to be a big-play guy. He's worked his tail off," said Whittingham, who has also challenged Casteel to lead the Mountain West Conference in kickoff-return yardage.

"In the past -- sometimes when things weren't going his way -- he wouldn't give us as much effort as we need out of him," Whittingham said. "But I'll tell you what, he's had a complete 180 (degree) turnaround. He works hard every snap. Whether he's getting the ball or not.

"If he continues that he's going to have a heckuva year," he added.

Though Casteel appeared in all 12 games as redshirt freshman, he made all five of his starts in the first half of the season.

"It's a maturation process," Whittingham said. "It's understanding what's expected."

The message got through. Casteel spent the offseason working hard.

"I didn't take no breaks off," he explained. "I kept running hills and I kept running routes all the way until we ran our conditioning test."

Whittingham calls it a maturation process.

"It's understanding what's expected," he said.

Casteel, whose confidence a year ago included a goal to win the Heisman Trophy, is still seeking high accolades. Besides team success, he wants to be a full-time starter and become the best offensive player he can be -- one capable of setting goals no one has reached before.

Last season, Casteel caught 39 passes for 426 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 208 yards and a score on 35 carries.

"I had a decent year," Casteel said. "This year I'm looking to double that, maybe triple it."

The key to doing so, he explained, is determination and hard work.

"You always want to go out there and practice your best. You can't practice your best one day and go out and take the next day off," Casteel said. "Every day is a grinder. Every day we come out here and put in a lot of work. You've got to go hard every day."

E-mail: dirk@desnews.com

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Casteel is shaping up as big-play receiver

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Aug 17, 2006 by Dirk Facer Deseret Morning News

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