Brian Randle has coached a lot of football players in his day. Before becoming the first football coach at Thomas Randle High School in Richmond, Texas, he spent over a decade at Alief Taylor High School. There he coached players such as Joshua Kalu, the former Husker safety now in the NFL.
Nebraska returned to Randle’s doorstep earlier this week with a scholarship offer for Landen Williams-Callis, a 2027 running back. So what makes this aspiring football player appealing enough to earn offers from Texas A&M, Penn State, TCU, SMU and Nebraska?
“He walks on water, man,” Randle told Hail Varsity. “I’ve been in this business 20-plus years and I’ve been fortunate enough to coach four kids who played in the NFL, nearly five. His ability at his age, he’s so far ahead of even them at that age. His ability is just so different and he’s got such a multiple skillset.”
In junior high, Callis played quarterback, running back, receiver, linebacker, safety and corner. They didn’t lose a game during his seventh-grade or his eighth-grade season. “Give the kid the ball and he’s going to score a touchdown,” Randle explained. “He’s so hard to tackle because he’s so strong. He’s not the biggest person, he’s like a Tyreke Hill-type cat.” Callis’ new head coach also spent plenty of time in the same circles as former TCU standout LaDainian Tomlinson. They know each other well from coaching and camps. Randle says the soon-to-be freshman “he’s got that LT to him.”
— Landen Williams-Callis (@CallisLanden) June 11, 2023
Described as quiet and humble, Callis is 5-foot-7 at 14, 160 pounds and runs the 40 in 4.48 seconds. His father runs the little league track program and is heavily involved in the starlet’s life. His grandmother is an assistant principal in the school district. Randle said their guidance in his life is important as his spotlight grows. And it likely still will. He holds seven offers and posed for pictures with Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher before even playing a high school snap. His high school coach doesn’t see him missing a beat either.
“He’s got juice,” Randle said. “He comes from good stock, mom and dad don’t play, they’re big on grades and hold the kid accountable so that will help us keep all the kids accountable.”
Recruit Watch
Nebraska extended a scholarship offer to Jayshawn Ross, a 4-star 2024 edge rusher from Liberty North in Kansas City, Missouri. He held an offer from the previous staff but was not offered by the new staff until he took an unofficial visit to Lincoln with high school teammate and Nebraska commit Keelan Smith.
Missouri City, Texas, 4-star receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman included Nebraska in his list of top 10 schools. He’s one of the top 20 receivers in the 2024 recruiting class. Nebraska offered him in late April. He’s currently taking official visits but has not scheduled for Nebraska.
Nebraska commit and Bellevue West quarterback Daniel Kaelin is still out in California for the Elite 11 Finals. Workouts and competition started on Wednesday and will continue into Friday.
— John Teigland (@jteigland) June 15, 2023
Meanwhile in Texas, Omaha Westside linebacker Christian Jones is camping at Texas A&M this weekend. The 4-star, top-150 recruit in the 2025 class holds over a dozen offers and will likely pick up more by the end of the weekend.
Nebraska will host several recruits this weekend and numerous others in the sold out Friday Night Lights camp on Friday. Four-star edge rusher Jacob Smith of Cheshire, Connecticut, 3-star tight end Michael Burnt of Creighton Prep, Evan Taylor of Waxhaw, North Carolina, and Sam Thomas of Elkhorn North are among the official visitors locked in. Cross County teammates Tanner Hollinger and Izaac Dickey will take visits this weekend. They both planned to camp on Friday before but an injury to Hollinger will force him to sit out the camp.
ICYMI
>> Papillion-La Vista graduate and reigning Most Outstanding Player at the Women’s College World Series, Jordy Bahl announced on Thursday morning she’ll indeed transfer to Nebraska. She entered the portal on Monday after deciding to leave dominant three-time champion Oklahoma. Maren and Nate discuss her decision in the latest episode of Behind The Plate.
>> Nebraska’s two new assistant baseball coaches, one of them a familiar face, are excited to get going in the program. Will Boldt and the new staff configurations hope to put a disappointing 2023 season behind them.
>> Husker legend Jordan Larson will join the Nebraska volleyball coaching staff as a full-time assistant for the upcoming season. Nebraska, in conjunction with the Big Ten Conference, released its 2023 volleyball schedule earlier this week. Staff writer Jacob Padilla also shared his thoughts on Larson’s return in his latest Padding The Stats column.
