Ole Miss LB Monty Montgomery does not 'like' his old team in Tulane but he does 'respect them'
Saturday provides another full circle moment in this new transfer portal era as Ole Miss linebacker Monty Montgomery returns to Tulane and where his collegiate career started six years ago.
Montgomery signed with Tulane in 2017 and redshirted his only season in New Orleans. The following season he transferred to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas before then transferring to Louisville in 2019.
After four seasons Montgomery was granted a medical hardship that allowed him one final season of college football. He entered the transfer portal and landed at Ole Miss this offseason.
Due to that decision to finish his college career in the Southeastern Conference it provides Montgomery to have a little bit of closure in playing against the team he started with. But do not expect a lot of hugs and handshakes.
“It’s going to be exciting to watch, man,” Montgomery said after Tuesday’s practice. “I don’t like those guys, but I respect them, though.”
Plenty of roster turnover has occurred at Tulane since Montgomery was there six years ago so he does not have a lot of familiarity with any of the current Green Wave players.
When No. 20 Ole Miss (1-0) and No. 24 Tulane (1-0) tee it up in the New Orleans heat this Saturday Montgomery is only focused on leaving with a victory and getting himself better on the field.
Montgomery had his Ole Miss debut this past Saturday in the rout of Mercer and finished with a pair of tackles. This was the first time for Montgomery and the Ole Miss defense to square off against someone other than their own teammates this season and rust is still getting knocked off.
For Montgomery, personally, he would have much preferred his first game in an Ole Miss uniform to go better than it did.
While not jumping off the stat sheet Montgomery was a presence on the Ole Miss defense now led by coordinator Pete Golding.
Montgomery finished in the middle of the defense in terms of snaps with 23 and also when it came to grading out by Pro Football Focus. He was the 16th best player on the defense according to PPF and its defensive grade of 68.3
When asked how he felt his performance on Saturday went Montgomery was critical of himself.
“My performance, personally, I didn’t like it,” Montgomery said. “I could’ve done more. I left plays on the table.
“I had two (tackles), right? So I felt like I could’ve matched a hand better and distract the quarterback and make him want to tuck it so I could secure the sack. I missed a tackle. That’s not acceptable. Coach got on to me in the team meeting. So, I got to tighten up.”
Montgomery needs very little extra or outside motivation for this weekend’s game with on and off the field reasons already in place keeping him focused on the task at hand.
