Humility is often the catalyst for growth in life. One must first recognize their flaws to correct or strengthen them, after all.
Luke Montgomery used the phrase “humbled” to describe the first 90% of his sophomore season at Ohio State. After seeing use in select spots as a freshman, Montgomery entered spring practice as the odds-on favorite to win the Buckeyes’ open starting right guard competition. He was seen taking first-team offensive line reps during March training sessions open to the media.
By preseason camp, Montgomery faded from that battle entirely. There was some brief experimentation with him as a backup center before he slid back over to guard as a depth piece. But even when then-left guard Donovan Jackson missed two games with injury to start the 2024 campaign, it was fellow second-year Austin Siereveld, not Montgomery, who filled in.
“I just wasn't ready yet. I think consistency is key when you're playing offensive line and as a young player, sometimes that's up and down,” Montgomery said at Ohio State’s media day before the Rose Bowl on Dec. 30. “I had to find that way to continue to get better and more consistent. And I've done that and I’m believing in that. And I was ready. I was ready for when my time was close.”
After playing just 77 total snaps in a backup role during the regular season, Montgomery’s name emerged again following a poor performance from Ohio State’s offensive line in the Michigan game. Ryan Day advertised a plan to rotate Montgomery, Siereveld and Tegra Tshabola, the team’s regular starting right guard, at both spots next to center Carson Hinzman.
Ohio State followed through on that plan, and now through two games of what the Buckeyes hope is a national title run in the College Football Playoff, Montgomery’s found a key role at left guard.
“He'd just been building up through the year,” offensive line coach Justin Frye told Eleven Warriors. “Getting game-ready, getting ready to go in and go play. Same deal, great preparation game plan-wise. Felt (the rotation) fit all three of those guys to keep them fresh and try to work on their big, heavy inside guys. It's a big D-tackle (Tennessee had) so it's, for us, good to rotate some guys through to match the physicality and the size there. So, they all played really well.”
While Siereveld started at left guard against both Tennessee and Oregon in the first two rounds of the CFP, Montgomery mixed in for 31 snaps in the former game and 29 snaps in the latter. Entering for his first big-time reps on Ohio State’s third series of the game vs. the Volunteers, Montgomery announced his arrival quickly to Buckeye fans with a pancake block that sprang TreVeyon Henderson for a 29-yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Buckeyes.
“Surreal. It was pretty cool,” Montgomery said of the play. “I was just doing my job, to be honest. That's what I've been telling everyone. That's what we're supposed to do as the linemen is open holes like that for our running backs to run through and not get touched.”
Luke Montgomery HOLY COW pic.twitter.com/xS86qYc4O9
— Anand Nanduri (@NanduriNFL) December 22, 2024
Montgomery told Eleven Warriors that in that game, he felt he refound his football self, the same kid who destroyed defensive linemen at Findlay High School and landed at his dream school as a composite top-100 recruit in the class of 2023.
“I have a lot of energy. I'm a big fireball on the field,” Montgomery said of what the identity he rediscovered is. “I'm excited to go. And sometimes I talk too much, probably. But that's just how I am when I get amped up and ready to go.”
Day echoed Montgomery’s thoughts on his personality as a player. While the youngster took some lumps in both that 42-17 win over Tennessee and thei 41-21 victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, his mistakes haven’t come from a lack of energy or effort, and the good has outweighed the bad. And he's still developing.
“I think Luke ended up with maybe 30, 31 plays. On those 30, 31 plays, I thought he did a nice job,” Day said on Dec. 23 after the Tennessee win. “Every play wasn't perfect, but there was some really good plays in there. Great effort. And I could feel his presence out there, which is a big part of the offensive line.”
Ohio State’s offensive line at large has responded in a big way since the Buckeyes’ 13-10 loss to the Wolverines. Tasked with blocking two elite defensive fronts, the unit has yet to surrender a sack in the CFP. Meanwhile, OSU rushed for 4.7 yards per carry against the Volunteers and 5.8 yards per carry vs. the Ducks.
Frye said the Michigan result was motivating for what he called a “prideful” group of guys in his room. Ohio State’s road-graders have seemed snakebitten this season, losing left tackle Josh Simmons for the year in Week 7 and center Seth McLaughlin in Week 13, arguably the two best offensive linemen on the roster. But Montgomery wasn’t surprised to see he and his teammates stake a property claim on the line of scrimmage when facing Oregon in the Rose Bowl.
“We're Ohio State. We're the best offensive line in the country,” Montgomery said. “I think the last two weeks have proven to you that, especially with the injuries, too. I don't know if any other team can do that, but we have, and our coaches have done an amazing job with prepping us.”
“We’re the best offensive line in the country. I think the last two weeks have proven to you that.”– Luke Montgomery
The string of world-wrecking defensive lines Ohio State’s played in the playoffs continues once more in the semifinals vs. Texas. The Longhorns have piled up 44 sacks, fourth nationally, and are No. 14 in yards allowed per carry at 3.2. On the interior, Montgomery, Siereveld, Tshabola and Hinzman must deal with star middle linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., a first-team All-SEC performer with 107 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 2024. Defensive tackle Alfred Collins is also a handful at 320 pounds, collecting 53 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, a sack and seven PBUs this season.
“We're going into their territory in Dallas, so obviously it's going to be loud,” Montgomery said. “It's going to be a lot of fun. It's an SEC team. It’s another SEC team in the way and they've got a lot of great players up front.”
Ohio State and Texas kick off with a spot in the national championship game on the line at 7:30 p.m. on Friday from the Cotton Bowl.
