BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Michael Deiter isn't sure what to make of his seniority. He's 19. He has played one season of college football (and redshirted one). He's not a grizzled veteran. At least, he's not grizzled.
But he is the most experienced member of Wisconsin's offensive line now that Dan Voltz has given up football.
So how does it feel to be an ol' vet with all of 13 career starts?
"It's really confusing to hear someone say that," he said. "It's kind of exciting at the same time. But Beau (Benzschawel), Jacob (Maxwell) and Micah (Kapoi) have played a lot. I see them as all veterans, too. We have to keep pushing each other, leading each other and bringing the young guys along."
Did he say young guys? Deiter may be starting to act his age. After all, he will turn 20 on Saturday.
"That will be a cool birthday," he enthused.
Especially cool, he might have added, knowing the guest list will exceed 80,000 at Lambeau Field for the 2016 opener between the Badgers and LSU. ESPN's College GameDay crew will be on hand to kick off the daylong festivities in Green Bay. "Can't wait," said Deiter. "It's going to be awesome."
In a tutorial role, Voltz will likely wind up as the gift that keeps on giving.
"I wouldn't be half the player that I am right now if it wasn't for Dan," said Deiter, a sophomore from Curtice, Ohio. "The first thing I asked him was, 'You're going to travel right? Because I need you on the sidelines.' He said, 'Yeah, I'm going to make sure that I travel.'"
Voltz, a fifth-year senior, will be a student assistant coach.
"That's huge for me," Deiter said. "I lean on him if I see stuff that is confusing. How should I treat this block today? Stuff like that. He has helped me mentally reading defenses and getting the calls right. And the physical tips that he has given me have helped tremendously, too."
Last season, Deiter and Voltz worked side-by-side for the first six games at left guard and center, respectively. When Voltz missed the Purdue game with an injured elbow, Deiter took over at center. When Voltz came back the following week at Illinois, Deiter slid over to guard. But it was short-lived.
Voltz blew out his knee against the Illini, ending his season. Deiter started the last five games at center, including the Holiday Bowl victory over USC. Kapoi, in turn, was the starter at left guard. Although Voltz was determined to get back in the lineup, the injuries were too much too overcome.
"We knew that he was battling some stuff — he hadn't practiced in a week," said Deiter who wasn't completely shocked when Voltz announced last Tuesday that he was done playing. "He has done plenty (during the rehab) to come back and play with us. All of us respected his decision."
Voltz voiced his concerns about continuing while meeting separately with the offensive line.
"It was a little emotional, but it was not like anyone was crying," Deiter said. "You could look around the room and see that people were hurting. It was kind of sad for me because I was looking forward to playing with him. I know the other guys were, too. But that's just the way it goes."
Voltz had stressed all along that if he returned this season, it would be at guard, not center. That was out of respect for Deiter's play over the ball. "I was flattered to have someone like Dan say that," Deiter said. "I figured Dan knows what is best for the O-line and that was a proud moment for me."
Deiter is a good listener. Especially when Voltz is delivering a message. In particular, the 22-year-old Voltz challenged Deiter to take over the leadership mantle. "I'm working on that," Deiter said. "I do know with Dan stepping aside, I do have to be a little more vocal and more of a leader."
Deiter won't have to do it alone, of course. He will be sandwiched between a couple of redshirt sophomores in Benzschawel, an eight-game starter (six at RT, two at RG); and Kapoi, a 10-game starter (six at LG, four at RG). Competing for snaps with Kapoi is redshirt freshman Jon Dietzen.
"The chemistry with both of them is great," Deiter said of Kapoi and Dietzen. "I don't really feel a drop-off (from one to the other). There's not one I'd prefer to play with. I trust both of those guys tremendously to go in there and get the job done."
The starting tackles have a combined three starts — all belonging to the right tackle, Maxwell, yet another redshirt sophomore. Ryan Ramczyk, a transfer from Stevens Point, will take over for Tyler Marz at left tackle. Ramczyk has two years of eligibility remaining, so this group can grow together.
Deiter already has grown in many areas over two fall camps and three spring practices at Wisconsin. He was 17 when he enrolled for the second semester of classes in 2014. And he took a majority of the reps at center because of injuries to Voltz and Dallas Lewallen.
Of the four early enrollees in his recruiting class, Deiter is the only one remaining. Quarterback D.J. Gillins and safety Austin Hudson transferred, and offensive lineman Jaden Gault left the football program. Deiter has learned that attrition is part of the process and experience is invaluable.
"How to make the calls and how to read defenses has just gotten so much easier for me," said Deiter, who has bulked up to 325 pounds. "It kind of slows down the game — to step back and see what blitzes and fronts that we're getting. I think that's definitely where I've matured the most."
The Badgers will face their former defensive coordinator, Dave Aranda, in the opener. Deiter doesn't need an introduction, either, to his blitz packages. "I've been trying to think back to what he did against us all spring ball and camp," he said. "We've seen it before, so it shouldn't be too crazy."
But the Lambeau Field environment should be. Especially for a first-year starter like quarterback Bart Houston, who beat out Alex Hornibrook. "Bart earned it," said Deiter. "He's going to do fine for us. He's ready for it. Him and Alex had a great camp. I love both of those guys. They're awesome."
Deiter might be biased about Hornibrook since they've formed a duet.
For a taped "Ask the Badgers" segment, Deiter and Hornibrook combined to sing Billy Joel's "The Longest Time." The review? "We're both really bad singers," Deiter confessed. "It will be more funny than entertaining."
Spoken like a veteran.
