Football: Tyler Lancaster latest local recruit to commit to Northwestern

Updated: June 9, 2012 7:28PM

Plainfield East center Tyler Lancaster had a good idea Northwestern would be his next football home before he attended the Wildcats’ one-day camp last week.

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald did not delay the process.

“Right after the camp, they offered and I committed,” the 6-foot-3, 275-pound Lancaster said Saturday. “Northwestern was No. 1 with me and always has been. Michigan State and Ohio State might have offered if I waited, but even if they had offered, I still would have picked Northwestern.”

Lancaster will play center full-time for Plainfield East coach Mike Romeli in the fall and also expects to get some work in the defensive line. He played on the goal-line defense last season, when the Bengals finished 3-6, and figures to see more time on that side of the ball as a senior.

“Northwestern recruited me on both sides of the ball, and I might wind up being in the defensive line in college,” he said. “But for now, they are looking at me to play on the offensive side.”

An excellent student, Lancaster said he is not sure what he will study, but engineering is a possibility.

His immediate concern is “to focus on our senior season at Plainfield East. We have a big goal of making the playoffs for the first time at our school, and we will do all we can in the offseason to reach that goal.”

Previous Northwestern commitments include Minooka offensive guard Blake King and Maine South quarterback Matt Alviti.

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