NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A senior on the Vanderbilt football team, offensive lineman Xavier Castillo has been through four offseasons, four fall camps, four first games. But something about this season was different.
Leading into this year’s fall camp, anyone looking out onto the football practice field at 6:15 a.m. would see the Dores’ offensive line getting after it with an hour of sled pushes before their scheduled lifts and practices. Vandy’s new offensive line coach Chris Klenakis, “Coach K,” was the one to implement this new early morning workout.
The group’s hard work in the offseason has led to on-field results. Castillo is part of an offensive unit that ranks eighth in FBS and leads the SEC in third down conversion percentage and boasts the conference’s best red zone offense (96.6 percent), sixth best in FBS.
“Coach K has set the highest standard for us,” Castillo said. “He told us when he got here last January that he wanted us to be the best in the country, and he meant that. He makes us work hard. We follow his lead, and he’s pushed us to be great this year.”
“I think it comes down to everyone is bought in,” he continued. “Everybody has come together. Coach K calls us the ‘Union,’ so we’ve all come together and become one as we’ve progressed through the season.”
The ‘Union’ is a staple of Klenakis’ offensive lines, and it comes with a culture that he’s been building for more than 30 years.
“It’s because we do the blue-collar work that nobody else wants to do, but yet without our efforts the company does not run,” Klenakis explained. “It’s a real pride factor. We’re the first guys out here. We’re the last ones to leave. We’re blue collar—bring your lunch pail, put your hard hat on and get to work.”
In addition to changes in his position group’s training schedule, Castillo also experienced a change to his personal game this season. Up until the Dores’ matchup with then top-ranked Alabama, he had spent most of his time on West End playing guard. But stepping onto the field against the Crimson Tide, Castillo would be taking on a new role as center.
Going into Missouri week, Coach K approached Castillo and mentioned he was thinking about moving him to center. Though he didn’t move to center for the Dores’ SEC opener, he started taking reps there in practice. He continued his learning during the bye week to prepare for what was arguably the team’s biggest game of the year to that point.
“The thought to move X [Castillo] to center was just for stability inside,” Klenakis said. “He’s a big strong guy, and we just wanted to match a little power with power. X’s personality is really good for center. He’s very calm, he’s very cerebral. He sees things. He observes well. And he does a good job in there directing the offense.”
So, with two weeks to learn, Castillo got to work.
“It was a bit of a learning curve,” he said. “It was a little hard at first but once you start putting it together, guard and center are basically doing the same thing. To play center, you just have to think a little bit harder, making calls and such. You just have to study a little harder.”
Snapping the ball for the first time this season, Castillo and the Commodores took down the No. 1 team in the country, posting 418 offensive yards, the most versus an SEC opponent in 2024, and a season-high 26 first downs. The Dores’ offensive line also did not allow a sack by the Crimson Tide.
“Those guys [the offensive line] earned this,” quarterback Diego Pavia said in his Alabama postgame interview. “They win or lose games, so they won it for us tonight. They’re the ones who set the standard every single day.”
Despite playing the majority of his Vanderbilt career at guard, moving to center was more of a returning to Castillo’s roots than something brand new.
“When I first started playing football, I actually started as a center,” he said, noting that he switched to tackle in high school and guard when he got to Vanderbilt.
Castillo’s mother called it a full-circle moment. He had started his football career at center and was now ending his college football career in the same spot.
“It’s been a roller coaster of ups and downs,” Castillo said reflecting on his four years at Vandy. “It’s been a long journey. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve been pushed. It’s just been a lot of growth for me, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.”
One of the first to commit to head coach Clark Lea’s vision, Castillo has been a part of Vanderbilt football through all the Lea era’s ups and downs. Now, at 5-2, Vanderbilt is off to its best start since 2008 and is ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in 11 years.
“I’ve had a belief in this place since my freshman year when I committed that we could do something special,” he said.
With five more regular season games on the schedule, Castillo and the Commodores will look to make postseason play for the first time since 2018, which he said is one of his biggest goals for his final season at Vandy.
“I haven’t made the postseason at all since I’ve been here so I’m ready, whether it be a bowl game or the playoffs, I’m ready for it all,” he concluded. “I really want to work hard and after this season, hopefully get the opportunity to play at the next level—that’s the ultimate goal.”
Castillo and No. 25/25 Vanderbilt football is back at home Saturday to take on No. 5/6 Texas at FirstBank Stadium at 3:15 p.m. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network and 94.9 The Fan.
