“I was not done”: Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda back from lengthy ACL recovery

Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda’s Husker debut was eye-opening. Four catches, 120 yards and a touchdown. Playing in Ireland on national television, the transfer widereciver instantly made a name for himself. 

Since that day, he’s been put through the wringer. 

After entering the portal four games into 2022, Garcia-Castaneda chose to return to play for Matt Rhule, only to tear his ACL during the season opener at Minnesota. 

“It was tough for sure. I just couldn’t believe it,” Garcia-Castaneda said of the injury. “You go through a whole offseason putting in work and then for it to get taken from you that fast, that early. It was tough. 

“I just kind of had to take it on the chin and control what I could control. I came back in January with a mindset of ‘I’m going to put my head down and go to work.’ Attack rehab every day and just do what I have to do. It led me to a good place that I’m in now.” 

Garcia-Castaneda transferred to Nebraska from New Mexico State over 32 months ago. During that span, he’s played in just five games. No one would blame him for losing his spark. 

But quitting was never even an option. 

“I knew from the moment that I got injured that I was not done,” Garcia-Castaneda said. “There wasn’t even a real thought in my mind.” 

During a grueling rehab process, there were moments when Garcia-Castaneda questioned himself. “Am I ever going to get back?” But he’d already come too far. He was going to get back on the field.  

“As soon as I got injured it was like, ‘Well, start preparing for next year.’ Do what I have to do out of surgery,” Garcia-Castaneda said. “It led me to where I am now. So it was humbling for sure. Just had to put my head down and go to work.”

Garcia-Castaneda on grinding this offseason, hitting new PRs 

Garcia-Castaneda got the official OK to suit up a few days before Nebraska’s fall camp began. He’s been doing “pretty much everything” throughout the summer, but finally practicing again was the next step in a long recovery process. 

“It feels really good obviously,” Garcia-Castaneda said of the first few days of camp. “It’s been kind of tough at times getting used to it again just because it’s been a whole year off from playing football. 

“You’ve got to get back into football shape and things of that nature but it just feels good to be able to go run around again and get back into the swing of things.”

Nebraska’s wide receivers coach Garrett McGuire has a myriad of talented pass-catchers at his disposal this year. Garcia-Castaneda likely won’t be one of the top options, but it’s clear his work this offseason made a significant impression on McGuire.

“Probably one of the proudest moments as a coach,” McGuire said of Garcia-Castaneda’s return, holding back a flood of emotion. “That’s a lonely deal. You’ve got to go a whole year, waking up at 6 a.m. Doing rehab. You never know if you’re going to get back.”

A year off didn’t stop Garcia-Castaneda from bulking up. He weighs in at 198 pounds, can bench 225 for 22 reps, and squats 500.

“I hit a bunch of PRs that I had never touched before in my life,” Garcia-Castaneda said. “It was good to get strength and speed back. It was good mentally as well to know what I’m capable of.” 

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