Lucas at Large: Deiter reflects on eve of record-setting start
November 17, 2018 | Football, Mike Lucas, Varsity Magazine
Versatile O-lineman’s dedication will be on display for 52nd time
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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Michael Deiter didn't have any trouble naming names on the offensive line. The left tackle was Tyler Marz, the center was Dan Voltz, the right guard was Walker Williams and the right tackle was Hayden Biegel. Rounding out Wisconsin's starting unit at left guard was Deiter, a redshirt freshman.
The opponent was third-ranked Alabama in the 2015 season opener.
"I was scared," Deiter confided.
It was understandably overwhelming for a small-town kid from Curtice, Ohio (Population: 1,480). Not only was he playing in Jerry's World (AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas), but he was lining up across "All-World" defensive linemen like A'Shawn Robinson, Jarran Reed and Da'Shawn Hand in his first college start.
"I had never played at this level before and I was playing against what was probably the best that I could play against in college football — the best guys at their positions for the most part," Deiter remembered vividly. "I thought, 'What a better way to find out what it's like?'"
It didn't take him long to have his "Oh, wow" welcoming moment.
"We were running a power play where I pulled," he recalled. "It got loud, and I was late off the ball. It was really a bad play. I pulled, they brought a corner and I got drilled. It was like, 'Okay, you need to ramp it up. It's a lot more intense. You have to think faster and everything has to happen faster."'
Snapping his fingers several times to accent the need for quick reactions, he went on, "It was play three or four, I got whacked. Everything was sloppy and I just said, 'It can't happen anymore like that. You have to be more physical. Everything has got to change.' That little moment helped."
That was 51 starts ago. On Saturday, Deiter is scheduled to make a school-record 52nd career start, breaking a tie with former cornerback Sojourn Shelton. Also at Purdue, linebacker T.J. Edwards is slated to start in his 50th game, tying former offensive linemen Chris McIntosh and Bill Ferrario.
"There's a lot more than meets the eyes that goes into breaking a record like that," suggested McIntosh, a 1999 consensus All-American, Outland Trophy finalist, two-time captain and first-round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks. Since 2017, he has been UW's deputy athletic director.
"It certainly speaks to Michael's toughness and his determination. It speaks to his feeling of accountability within that unit on the offensive line. It speaks to the pride that he has. He's a great player and he has done everything that his team has asked of him for his career.
"He epitomizes what it means to be an offensive lineman here and what it means to be a Badger. He's got that team-first approach … I can't speak for Michael, but I can speak to my own experience — this doesn't happen because one feels 100 percent every game."
Back on the road this Saturday 🏈 Wisconsin at Purdue 🕝 Saturday, 2:30pm on BTN 📍 Ross-Ade Stadium #OnWisconsin
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) November 14, 2018
Last season, Deiter fought through the pain of a tender ankle for a number of weeks.
"There were some games where maybe it would make at least a little bit of sense if I just sat this one out and worked on the ankle," Deiter conceded. "But I felt that I could play good enough where it would make sense for me to play. I'd practice and it would hurt, but I was able to play.
"I've been super lucky to have never really been hurt and put in a scenario where I needed to even miss one week. That happens all the time where a guy gets banged up and misses a week or two."
When asked how much pride he takes in his streak (51 games, 51 starts), he said, "A ton of pride. You just want to do your best to show that being out there and playing with everyone means a lot to you. That's what I felt I did. And it's contagious. People see that and think, 'Man, I can't miss games.'"
What has stood out for McIntosh is Deiter's versatility. "I don't know of another player off the top of my head," McIntosh said, "who has played center, guard and tackle selflessly like he has."
Deiter has started 21 games at left guard, 14 at left tackle and 16 at center.
"What's crazy," he said, "was that one year I didn't know where I was going to play each week. Or even each drive. I'd play center for two series, left guard for two series, back to center, back to left guard, all in the same game. There was a ton of that in '15 and '16 where it was just how it played out."
Shrug off adversity Keep moving forward #OnWisconsin
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) November 11, 2018
The Badgers considered burning Deiter's redshirt in 2014 because of an injury to Voltz. But they resisted the temptation in the Big Ten Championship Game. "It was close," said the industrious Deiter. "There were some other times where I thought I might have to play."
Reflecting on that redshirt season, he said, "I got a lot better that year. You're not worried specifically about playing so you could take your training in the weight room to a whole different level because you're not worried about being fatigued or anything like that come game day. You can just lift."
While never forgetting his baptism against Alabama, he couldn't remember the opponent when he made his first start at Genoa (Ohio) High School late during his sophomore year. "I hadn't played a bunch of football up to that point," said Deiter, who was an exceptional youth hockey player.
But once he got into the lineup, he says it was like "flipping a switch." He never came out.
"After my first start," he said, "it was like, 'Oh, man, I'm good at this.'"
Good enough to later start 51 games and earn All-America recognition at Wisconsin.
"It seems like a lot, 51 starts, but it has gone fast," Deiter said. "I'd loved to play a bunch more."
At least one more game in Indianapolis.
"There's definitely one game," he said, "I'm not going to get what I wanted to get."
As the Wisconsin charter was touching down on the runway following Saturday's return trip from Penn State, Deiter and many of his teammates were watching on TV screens in the cabin as the Northwestern players charged the field after beating Iowa and clinching a spot in the Big Ten title game.
What was Deiter feeling? "It's just the feeling that you're officially out (of contention in the West Division)," he said. "I was mad, but what are you going to do? Stuff has gone their way. Stuff hasn't gone our way. But, at the end of the day, you have to make stuff go your way."
Looking ahead to Purdue, he said, "Our biggest challenge is making sure people aren't confused. There's going to be so much outside noise. It's about not getting discouraged, because you're going to hear a bunch of questions, 'What is there to play for with all the preseason expectations (gone)?'
"People need to understand there's so much to play for just within the guys on this football team. The mindset should be, 'It's in the past and we have to go out and beat Purdue this week.'"
It's the only approach that he has taken for 51 games. Why change now?
