PHOTO COURTESY OF CRAIG NEECE
In sports, all-stars all have one thing in common: they’re talented athletes. But for some, there’s more than just talent that makes them some of the game’s best players. This was the case for senior defensive lineman Craig Neece, who made his final season for the Tigers one to remember.
Neece headed into the season as an offensive lineman, a position he’d played since entering the football program as a first-year in 2011. But with the Tigers needing help on defense, Neece was asked to make the transition to the defensive line, a task many would find difficult, especially for a senior.
Instead of letting the frustration from change define his performance, Neece took complete advantage of the opportunity to help his team win, finishing the season with an impressive total of 32 tackles and an average of 3.2 tackles per game.
“He’s an outstanding football player, and very versatile,” Said DePauw head coach Bill Lynch, who has worked with Neece for the past two seasons. “He’s a real team guy because he was willing to make that switch.”
Neece’s hard work and selfless demeanor has been noticed not only by the coaching staff, but also by his teammates.
“Craig is a tremendous teammate, not just on the field but off [it] as well,” senior defensive back Philip Ganser said. “He works very hard at practice and is a role model in the community off the field."
But Neece’s strong senior season as both a teammate and player wasn’t the only reward for his hard work. On Thanksgiving , Neece received an invitation to play in the “D3 Classic," the annual Division Three all-star game, which is in its sixth season.
Senior Craig Neece.
COURTESY OF DEPAUW UNIVERSITY
“As a senior, it means the world to have the chance to play again and at such a high stage with other top players,” Neece said. “It is a blessing to have the honor to play in this game and I will definitely make the most of it.”
Apart from playing in the game itself, Neece will also participate in practices, media productions, and the combine, where he will be watched by scouts from all over the country as a part of the National Scouting Showcase.
“I just need to do my best and remember to just have fun playing the game I love,” Neece said. “Everyone on the field will be playing for someone or something.”
Neece will need no motivation to perform to the best of his ability, as he has always played hard throughout his career at DePauw.
“Craig in his play has always been aggressive, strong and powerful,” senior defensive lineman Clark Costello, who has played with Neece since high school, said. “He’s a hustler and has a non-stop motor.”
Regardless of what he does in the game, Neece has already proven his capability for the Tigers. Neece was a key component in snapping DePauw’s streak of three consecutive losing seasons with 7-3 record.
“To have a winning season senior year and to see DePauw football gain so much positivity… means everything to me,” Neece said. “I think I speak for all the seniors when we say we are happy to leave on a positive note.”
Although DePauw’s strong and talented offense owned the spotlight this season, a significant amount of the Tiger’s success was in part due to the improvement shown from the team’s defense, something that Lynch values immensely.
“Any championship football team plays a great defense, I don’t care what level,” Lynch said. “I think Craig moving to defense helped with [our improvement]."
The D3 Classic will be played over winter break on December 20th in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with kickoff starting at 12:00 p.m. The game will be aired by Prodigy Sports.