Coming into the 2024 season, if there is one group of Nebraska Cornhuskers that might have the most talent and the most question marks it would be the wide receiver corps. There’s seemingly a ton of talent in the group, but there isn’t a ton of veteran presences. At least veterans that have been in Lincoln all that long.
Jahmal Banks from Wake Forest and Isaiah Neyor from Texas certainly offer veteran voices as far as guys who have been around college football, but they haven’t been around the Huskers all that long.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers also return Jaylen Lloyd, Malachi Coleman and Alex Bullock while adding new faces in true freshmen Jacory Barney Jr., Quinn Clark, Keelan Smith, Dae'vonn Hall and Isaiah McMorris. So there’s talent there, but very few upper classmen.
All of that leaves perhaps the biggest question of all. Can Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda offer both a veteran presence and finally have the kind of season he’s long been hoping to have in Lincoln? He certainly hopes so.
Nebraska Cornhuskers veteran receiver is finally ready to show what he can do
“New number, kind of feels like a new me in a positive way." Garcia-Castaneda recently told Rivals’ Steve Marik.
Knowing that injuries are part of the reason he’s in need of a fresh start, Garcia-Castaneda became determined to attack his rehab and strengthen his body over the offseason. He added 10 pounds, and now currently weighs in at 198.
"Initially it was hard, it was really hard obviously, just with the way everything happened with the injury," he said. "But I went in with the mindset of trying to control what I can control, and this January when we started winter workouts I wanted to put my head down and start making strides for myself individually and come back a completely different, stronger, bigger, physical receiver."
He’s also formed a deep connection with the Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receivers coach in Garrett McGuire. That could help him as well.
"He's one of the smartest coaches I've been around," Garcia-Castaneda said. "He's a genuine players' coach, and I've learned how to work from him. He has a great work ethic and he's taught me a lot about and brings a toughness out of us and an extra level of work ethic.”