Seer Deines is not afraid to embrace the dirty work. And that’s not just because he grew up on a ranch in Connell, Washington.
“I love playing in the trenches,” Deines said. “That’s where all the work gets done.”
Deines will have a chance to work in the trenches for the next four or five years at the Division I level. The 6-foot-3, 265-pound defensive lineman from rural Washington gave his verbal commitment to the Montana State coaching staff during his official visit to Bozeman earlier this month.
“It’s really pretty up there and that’s a big factor,” Deines said a few days after returning home from his visit. “The school is really nice. They are making a lot of improvements. The nutrition station for the football team is pretty cool. The coaching staff and the players are really nice. I basically liked everything. I had more schools but I liked the way they ran everything up there more than anywhere else I had been.”
Deines chose Montana State over an identical half scholarship offer from MSU’s Big Sky Conference rival Eastern Washington. He also holds offers from Central Washington and Carroll College. The educational opportunities — Deines is interested in majoring in agriculture business or ranch management — and Southwest Montana’s love for the Bobcats helped Deines pick the Bobcats.
“I considered all of them,” Deines said. “I went through the process. I had a half at Eastern too but I liked Montana better. I liked the campus and I liked the community better. And the education, the education is way better.
“I love the community there, how they support the team. That’s a really big deal to me. It’s really cool how they support it all.”
The love for physicality and the honed strength necessary become a Division I prospect are traits that Deines has honed through multiple sports. He earned Washington 1A first-team all-state honors on the offensive and defensive lines as a junior and a senior.
He is in the midst of his final wrestling season in search of redemption after losing in the state heavyweight finals last winter. In the spring, he will look for another replacement of silver with gold as he chases championships in the discus and the shot put after finishing second in both last spring.
“I need to win state championships in wrestling and both my track events,” Deines said. “That’s my goal.”
Growing up in the agriculturally based town of 4,209 just southeast of the Palouse, Deines learned a strong work ethic from a young age. Knowing how difficult working the land or herding cattle also had a direct impact on his sporting career.
“The No. 1 thing I learned was to keep playing sports so you don’t have to go work,” Deines cracked. “Just toughness, man. You are out there late at night working your ass off and you just gotta power through it, I think.”
Deines’ background and his cross training have served him well thus far in his high school career. During his final wrestling season, Deines is 20-2. One of his two losses came to Michael Lee of Kalispell Flathead at the Best of the West Duals in December. His mat training has helped him improve his athleticism and other skills required to thrive in the trenches.
“Hand placement, setting my hips, reaction off the ball, wrestling helps everything,” Deines said. “It gives you good balance, hips. It’s just a great sport to counteract football.”
Montana State defensive line coach Byron Hout started recruiting Deines last spring and invited him to the Bobcat individual camp in June. After a standout showing, head coach Jeff Choate, himself a standout high school wrestler in his younger days, extended a partial scholarship offer.
Deines is the first to admit he was skeptical of the recruiting process at first. He became comfortable with Hout — “He’s a generally nice guy” — early on, then came around toward the idea of playing college football even more after meeting Choate.
“He’s straight-forward, which I like,” Deines said. “I don’t like beat around the bush. I like how he approaches situations. That’s a big thing with me. I really like him.”
During his visit, Deines spent time with MSU senior defensive tackles Zach Wright and Tucker Yates. He was impressed with Yates’ credentials, not only as a three-year starter as the Bobcats’ nose tackle but more importantly as a three-time state champion dating back to his standout prep career at Colstrip.
Wright and Deines had “really long talks” about the dynamic of the MSU program and the emphasis Choate and his staff put on team dynamics. That was enough to sell Deines on Montana State.
“You can’t really believe what any of these coaches tell you and I was really close-minded to most of the programs until I came up there and saw how they actually ran it,” Deines said. “Everything (Hout) said was true, how everyone is a part of the team. I was talking to one of the captains, Zach (Wright) and he just confirmed everything for me.”
Deines said he doesn’t care if he plays nose guard like Yates or defensive tackle like Wright in MSU’s 3-4 defense. He is excited to get dirty on the defensive line for the Bobcats.
“It means a ton,” Deines said. “It’s a weight lifted off my shoulders now that I know where I’m going, where I’m going to be playing. Now I’m just going to get ready. I have six or eight months to get ready, come in there and be the best that I can be.”
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