Sasquatch is coming to UF.
Not the beef-jerky-commercial Sasquatch, but rather the 6-foot-7 defensive end prospect Nick Kasa, aptly nicknamed Sasquatch because of his looming frame.
The five-star UF verbal commit, according to Scout.com, hailing from Legacy High in Broomfield, Colo., has long been easily identifiable because of his height.
"It's been from preschool on up," Maureen Kasa, his mother, said. "In kindergarten he was a head taller than any other kid in the classroom."
His height made him so distinguishable that in preschool he once dressed up for Halloween wearing a mask, and everyone still greeted him.
"'It doesn't matter if you cover up his face, because everybody in the school knows him,'" Maureen recalled his teacher telling her.
As the years passed, Nick's size climbed.
"When he'd bump into a kid, a kid would go flying," Legacy High coach Wayne Voorhees said. "Another kid could run full speed into him and fall over."
Eventually, even scouts couldn't ignore Nick's towering presence.
Offers rained in from UF, Colorado, Notre Dame and Nebraska, among others.
"We're a pretty low-key kind of people, so for him to get all this attention has been nice for him and nice for us," Maureen said. "A little overwhelming."
Through the strenuous recruiting process, Nick has maintained his jovial, light-hearted personality.
"He's punting before practice, and I'm just cringing because I see him tweaking his hamstring or something stupid," Voorhees said. "And I'm sure that's part of the reason he did it."
Nick, an avid Xbox player, said he's always playing NCAA Football and Madden.
"I actually made myself into a quarterback," said Nick, who played running back in eighth grade. "I loved it, but I know now that it's out of the question," he said while laughing.
That's something that almost became a reality.
"He's thought since day one that he should be a tailback, kick returner," Voorhees said. "He's thought since day one at 6 (foot) 7 that he's a tailback. He did catch one pass in high school."
The humble dreamer who used to play soccer - and said that's where he got his speed - had nobody laughing when he tried out for Legacy.
"He went against freshmen for about the first minute," Voorhees said. "Then we moved him over with the (junior varsity) kids, and he dominated them.
"And then he was over with the varsity kids, and he was dominating. Then we put him against our best kid, and he ends up stalemating him."
That was when Voorhees knew he had something special.
"Nick the person and Nick the football player are completely opposite," Voorhees said.
The guy who used to be self-conscious about his size became a fierce competitor on the field.
"I'm more serious on the field. When I'm off the field, I'm really goofy," Nick said. "During a game I stay pretty calm until I get pissed off.
"If I'm pissed, I'm pissed - nothing's going to stop me."
In his junior year, attention started being shoveled his way.
Nick stayed modest through it all, as trying as it was.
"It's pretty stressful when I'm missing calls from Urban Meyer and (Notre Dame coach) Charlie Weis," Nick said. "It gets overwhelming at times for anybody."
As nerve-racking as deciding where to play college football can be, the decision may have been made before Nick was even born.
His parents lived in Florida before Nick was born, and he's been visiting the Sunshine State his whole life.
"The thing that made us feel good is that we do know the Florida area," Maureen said. "He's got friends and family that are close by."
"Up until the end, it was going to be Florida or CU (Colorado)," Nick said. "It came down to Florida - a way better program."
Nick isn't afraid about the move east from Colorado. And neither is his mother.
"He's one of those kids that other kids gravitate toward," Maureen said. "Some of that I think has to do with his height, people are overwhelmed. 'Wow, look how big he is.' But then I think what happens is then people go, 'Wow, he's a nice guy.'"
Nick agreed with his mother's analysis.
"I'm pretty good at just kind of meshing," Nick said.
College life may be demanding at first though, especially working to impress at a school that is one game away from its third national championship and second in three years.
Nick, who was recruited based on his freakish speed for his size - a 4.7-second- to mid-4.6-second 40-yard dash - knows he'll have be quick to compete at the college level in the lightning-bolt-fast Southeastern Conference.
"I need to stay fast," Nick said. "That's what Florida is all about."
