“Downhill.” It’s a word that football coaches across America use to describe an aggressive style of running. It’s a prompt to rush forward as if the edge of the world has fallen off, and all that remains is the absence of gravity, a lowered shoulder and the soft cushion of a crumbling opponent. “Downhill” is the only way UMass commit Steve Casali knows how to run. With an almost-mechanical stride, the Sachem East product has made a career out of barreling over Long Island football players. As a running back, he frequently stormed past linebackers en route to a mismatched collision with [...]
