York Product Deiters a Fixture on Northwestern's Offensive Line

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is renowned for its football stadium. Known as The Big House, it's the largest in the country with a capacity of 109,000.

Up the road in East Lansing, the Wolverines' arch rival, Michigan State, plays at Spartan Stadium, which has lots of elbow room, too. It seats 75,000.

Last October, York High School product Neal Deiters got word that he would be making his first collegiate start at right tackle for the Northwestern Wildcats at Michigan State.

Running onto the field with his teammates that day in front of a capacity crowd is an experience he'll never forget.

"It's surreal the first time you do it," Deiters said. "It really is amazing."

Deiters had plenty of fan and family support at Spartan Stadium. His parents, Rich and Kelly Deiters, made the trip to East Lansing, as did some of his cousins who live in Michigan. But when the game got under way, Deiters didn't give a second thought to the size of the crowd.

"I'm focused on doing my job and blocking through the whistle," he said. "A lot of adrenaline goes into those games."

Not to mention plenty of hard work and preparation. Deiters didn't break into the Wildcats' starting lineup until game seven, but he made the most of his opportunities at practice and off the bench until the coaching staff called his number.

"My thinking was, just keep working and getting better," said Deiters, who stands 6-foot-8 and weighs 315 pounds.

Deiters and his teammates fell to Michigan State, but the Wildcats went on to win four of their last six contests and secured a bid to a postseason bowl game — the Outback Bowl, played on New Year's Day in Tampa, Fla., against Auburn.

Northwestern succumbed to Auburn in overtime, 38-35, a game in which senior quarterback Mike Kafka shattered single-game school and Outback Bowl records with 532 passing yards.

"Playing against Michigan State was one thing, but the Outback Bowl was even more fun and exciting," Deiters said. "It really was cool walking in there," to Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the game was played.

"You think college is big, and then you walk into a pro stadium."

At season's end, Deiters received the team's NGN Newcomer Award on offense—an award given by the NU coaching staff. One of the first to congratulate him was senior Kurt Mattes, whom Deiters replaced in the starting lineup.

"It was a real nice surprise," he said. "The right tackle who I ended up starting over the last seven games got that award (after the 2008 season). We've become good friends. That meant a lot. It (all) comes back to me doing my best on the field. I was ecstatic that they chose me for the award."

Deiters, a redshirt sophomore, has not been starting so far this fall, but he is a fixture on the Wildcats' field goal and point-after blocking units. The Wildcats have one more nonconference game (they host Central Michigan on Saturday) before they get into their Big Ten schedule.

NU's first league game is at Minnesota on Saturday, Oct. 2.

"I think it will be real good competition," he said. "No Big Ten game is a giveaway and it's never easy. I think we're going to give them (Big Ten opponents) a game every Saturday, and I they'll give us a game, too."

Another highlight on Northwestern's schedule takes place Saturday, Nov. 20, when the Wildcats face Illinois at Wrigley Field. It's an historic occasion on two fronts: It will be the first football game played at The Friendly Confines in nearly 40 years (Wrigley Field used to be the home of the Chicago Bears), and the first time in over 87 years that NU and Illinois have squared off at Wrigley Field.

"We're really excited about playing in that venue," Deiters said. "It will be an experience—a lot of tradition and history—and it will be a great event for the city of Chicago."

Deiters is making new memories at Northwestern, but he keeps in touch with his old coaches and teammates at York. He regularly talks to Anthony Pennella, a teammate at York who plays for Concordia University in Chicago, and periodically touches base with York head coach, Bill Lech.

The Dukes advanced to the Class 8A state semifinals during Deiters' junior year (2007), and also qualified for the playoffs when he was a senior.

"I love going back to York," Deiters said. "I talk to him (Pennella) every week, but I haven't seen him play yet. My head coach (at York) is a great coach and did so much for me. I owe him so much. There's nothing like Friday night lights, and those were just great memories."