Colin Neely enters his second season on the East Stroudsburg University coaching staff as the Warriors' defensive line coach in 2015.
In his first season at ESU in 2014, Neely coach a pair of first team All-PSAC East defensive linemen in end Brandon Gattelli and tackle Bryan Thomson. They were the first ESU defensive linemen since 2001 to earn first team All-PSAC East honors in the same season.
Neely was a three-year letterwinner at defensive end at Michigan State during his collegiate career. A native of Bethlehem and 2006 graduate of Freedom High School, he served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Warriors in the spring of 2014.
He graduated from Michigan State in 2012 with a degree in Criminal Justice. He worked as a mental health technician at KidsPeace in Schnecksville from June 2011 through July 2014, mentoring and monitoring troubled teenaged males. He was also the head coach and defensive coordinator of the KidsPeace football team.
Collegiately, Neely was a standout defensive end for the Spartans, starting 27 games from 2008 to 2010 and earning a spot on Phil Steele’s All-Big Ten third team as a senior.
He had 75 tackles, 19.5 tackles for a loss and 6 sacks for the Spartans in 39 games. As a junior in 2009, he was named MSU’s Tommy Love Award recipient as the team’s most improved player, when he played in all 13 games and made 12 starts. He had three starts in 2008.
At Freedom High School, Neely was an Associated Press third team All-State (AAAA) selection as a senior in 2005, recording 70 tackles and 8 sacks.
He was ranked among the nation’s top high school defensive ends by Scouts, Inc. (No. 24) and Collegefootballnews.com (No. 45), and was rated the nation’s No. 33 inside linebacker by Rivals.com. He was also a member of SuperPrep’s All-Northeast Team and earned All-Region honors from PrepStar, while ranking among PA’s top 50 seniors by Rivals.com (No. 29) and SuperPrep (No. 32).
Neely was a three-year starter, playing for Jim Morgans in 2003 and 2004 and Jason Roeder in 2005.
