WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The respective head coaches in the Nebraska-Wake Forest game possess opposite viewpoints on at least one matter.

Husker coach Bill Callahan plays his first-year freshmen in droves, at least compared to Jim Grobe, who steadfastly tries to keep his rookies on the shelf as redshirts. Grobe says they have a much better chance of being impact players in their fifth season on campus.

Says Callahan: “My philosophy is this: If true freshmen can help contribute to winning football, put them on the field.”

Quentin Castille, a hard-charging running back, is Exhibit A among Nebraska true freshmen that figure to make a significant impact throughout this season. Indeed, Wake Forest probably will receive a heavy dose of the 245-pound Castille, that is if NU tries to quiet the home crowd and chew up game clock using a punishing ground assault, a modus operandi that seems prudent given NU’s startling success on the ground last week against Nevada.

At any rate, Castille is among seven Husker true freshmen that played against the Wolf Pack.

In 2005 — Callahan’s second season at Nebraska — a school-record 13 true freshmen saw action. For comparison’s sake, Tom Osborne never played more than six in a season (In 1997, Osborne trotted out Bobby Newcombe, Correll Buckhalter, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Matt Davison, Joe Walker and Erwin Swiney).

Meanwhile, Grobe has played a total of nine true freshmen in seven seasons at Wake Forest. He used none last year and none so far this season.

In theory, redshirting true freshmen is a nice way to build for the future. In practicality, Callahan may not have much of a future at Nebraska if he spends too much time trying to build one by redshirting everyone who comes down the pike.

The thing is, Grobe can afford to have more patience while coaching football in basketball country. At places such as Nebraska, the prevailing football-fan mentality goes something like, “Win now, partner, or else.” The degree to which that mentality exists is arguably higher than ever.

Of course, a similar mentality exists at the University of Texas, which played nine true freshmen last season and has played about one-third of them overall during Mack Brown’s tenure at the school. In fact, Brown’s philosophy essentially mirrors Callahan’s: If a true freshman is ready to play, wants to play and can get significant repetitions in games (either at a regular position or on special teams), well, fasten your chinstrap tightly, young fellow.

Southern California coach Pete Carroll also has made it a practice to play a lot of true freshmen, sending 72 into action in six years at the school. It’s all about getting the best players on the field, Carroll says.

Callahan says true freshmen are more prepared than ever to contribute immediately. Modern technology has expedited development of both high school coaches and players, he says.

“You have so many coaches and programs that have all of this information,” he says. “There’s just so much data out there. There are so many more clinics. There are all of these opportunities to learn, and I think it’s trickled down.

“There’s better coaching in high school. Better nutrition. Better weight lifting.”

Still another factor comes into play here. When Callahan began coaching in college in the early 1980s, freshmen typically arrived on campus in August, shortly before the start of preseason training camp. Nowadays, most freshmen arrive in June and participate in teams’ “informal” summer conditioning programs.

“So, now they’re hanging around your team,” Callahan says. “They’re part of the fabric of your team by July. When training camp comes around in August, they’ve already been accepted. They’re acclimated. They’re not intimidated. They can go out and compete.”

To be sure, Callahan has at times exhibited a win-now mentality in playing true freshmen. You saw it in 2005 when he burned quarterback Harrison Beck’s redshirt in the second-to-last game of the regular season. It was a no-brainer, Callahan said at the time.

You see the win-now mind-set to a lesser degree in the way Callahan uses some freshmen only on special teams.

Seems nobody’s complaining.

“Coming out of high school, everyone dreams of playing immediately,” says NU sophomore wide receiver Menelik Holt, who played almost exclusively on special teams last year. “I mean, I wish I would’ve gotten more snaps as a receiver, but there were guys above me. So I just played my role.”

Says current Nebraska true freshman linebacker Blake Lawrence, who last week played on kick coverage: “I’m kind of living the freshman dream right now.”

In Callahan’s version of a perfect world, there would be no redshirt seasons at all. You see, he’s an enthusiastic advocate of a five-year eligibility proposal being considered by conferences. Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson, chairman of the NCAA football issues committee, is leading the push to do away with redshirt years and medical hardship seasons. Players would get five years to play, period.

It makes a lot of sense.

Perhaps Callahan and Grobe can debate the proposal during warm-ups Saturday.

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.